UK recyclers welcome move to scrap waste tire exemptions

London – The UK government is moving to withdraw the T8 waste exemption for end-of-life tires (ELTs), requiring operators to obtain full environmental permits for processing waste tires as of April 2027.

The new regulations are scheduled to come into force on 6 Jan 2027, followed by a three-month transition period for existing exemption holders, ending 6 April, according to the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA).

From that date, operators mechanically treating waste tires will be required to hold “a full standard rules or bespoke environmental permit,” TRA said 23 Oct.

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.

Welcoming the move, the TRA said it closes “a regulatory loophole that has long been exploited by unaccredited, rogue operators.”

TRA campaigned for eight years to remove the “light-touch” T8 exemptions, which it argued had undercut legitimate British reprocessors and facilitated waste crime.

“We are delighted that the measure necessary to remove the T8 exemption is now before parliament,” said Peter Taylor OBE, secretary general of the TRA.

According to Taylor, the industry must now prepare for the change, with the proposed transition timeline providing a “sensible” period for operators to obtain permits.

“Ending of the ill-judged and destructive T8 regime will still not solve all our problems,” he said, describing the move as “an essential first step in improving market dynamics and building investor confidence.”

TRA said it intended to work closely with the Environment Agency during the transition to support operators applying for full environmental permits.

“This must be done well before the 6 April 2027 deadline to ensure they can legally continue their operations,” Taylor warned.

The association also called for further reforms to the UK's waste tire sector, including restrictions on exports of unprocessed tires.

“The vital next step for that is a shred-only export regime, but today we can celebrate progress,” Taylor concluded.