UK recycling body says increased tire weight adds to collection costs

Aylesbury, UK – The UK’s Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has indicated that the increase in the average weight of passenger car tires is a key contributor to higher costs of waste tire collection in recent years.

“A number of factors have pushed up the cost of waste tire collection... but what we all tend to overlook is the seemingly relentless increase in the average weight of our passenger tires,” said TRA in a 12 July statement.

Citing new data by Astutus Research, TRA said the trend to ultra-low profile (ULP) tires and the popularity of SUVs with larger diameter tires have had “a real impact on recycling volumes.”

The study, it said, reveals that the average weight of a car tire is now 7% more that it was five years ago. 

The higher weight, TRA said, is significant for those at the collections end of the business, noting that its members charge by unit for collection but calculate processing costs in tonnes.