Ireland may scrap voluntary EoL tyre agreements

ERJ staff report (DS)

Dublin, Ireland -- Ireland's Environment Minister is considering scrapping the voluntary arrangement for scrap tyre disposal in Ireland. On Monday, a TV programme, Prime Time Investigates, attracted record audiences -- around 41 percent audience share. John Gormley, Ireland's minister for the Environment described the existing scheme thus, "It hasn't worked and the agreements that were entered into in good faith will have to be re-assessed. There hasn't been, in my view, a willingness to live up to the agreement, and it will have to be re-assessed in its totality."

He further went on to say that he has told the tyre industry that it has been given ample opportunity to operate without legislation, but the industry has failed to act appropriately.

In the 55-minute programme, reporter Paul Maguire went undercover to meet with local dealers and disposal companies who are dumping scrap tyres in the countryside, while making profits from disposal fees. The programme can be watched online at the link below.

Local press reports suggest that Gormley has convened meetings with the tyre trade associations and is proposing producer responsibility schemes to replace the existing voluntary programmes.

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Home page of TV show from RTE (includes playback facility)

Ireland to take tough action on tyre waste from Edie.net