TRA calls for UK tire export and recycling reforms

Coventry, UK – The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has renewed calls for reforms to UK end-of-life tire (ELT) rules, highlighting an estimated 150 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of unused domestic recycling & remanufacturing capacity.

According to the industry body, the UK currently exports around 1 kilotonnes of whole waste tires each day, equivalent to nearly 400 kilotonnes per year.

Speaking at the TRA 'briefing day' in Warwickshire, UK member of parliament Tessa Munt voiced her for measures to encourage more processing of ELTs within the country.

“While 1,000 tonnes of raw waste is offshored every day, over 150,000 tonnes of licensed, domestic UK recycling and remanufacturing capacity sits completely idle,” she said. The capacity is “already built, already permitted, already paid for.”

Munt called on the government to make "four key reforms", including a “shred-only” export requirement, modelled on Australian regulations to prevent exports of whole and baled waste tires.

Furthermore, the MP called for the withdrawal of special [T8] waste exemptions as well as for stronger digital proof-of-arrival requirements for exported tires.

Under T8, businesses can treat small quantities of waste tires through processes like baling, shredding, peeling, shaving, or granulating without requiring a full environmental permit.

Calling for "ironclad enforcement" of digital proof-of-arrival, she proposed that export licences for brokers unable to provide "timestamped, geotagged proof of delivery to accredited facilities," be instantly revoked. 

For domestic markets, Munt proposed mandatory public procurement requirements to increase the use of retreaded tires and rubberised asphalt.

At the TRA event, delegates also heard that a 10% rubberised-asphalt target for public highway contracts could absorb all currently idle UK crumb-rubber capacity.

Such asphalt could also reduce road traffic noise by 3-5dB and provide longer-lasting road surfaces, according to information presented at the briefing.

“The British tire recovery sector is united, highly innovative and ready to grow,” said TRA secretary general Peter Taylor.

“We have the domestic processing infrastructure, the technical capability and the private capital ready to build a world-class circular economy,” he added.

Taylor said further regulatory changes were needed to support domestic processing, including measures addressing whole-tire exports and public procurement.

The event brought together around 100 representatives from the tire recovery, retreading, distribution and manufacturing sectors.

Attendees also included representatives from the TRA, National Tyre Distributors Association, British Tyre Manufacturers' Association and Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association.