Sapphire Energy Recovery has announced an increase in tyre disposal charges effective from 1 February 2007. From the tyre retailer’s perspective, the price rise equates to an increase of between £0.08 and £0.10 per tyre. Sales and marketing manager Ryan Mifflin explained: “Sapphire and the UK cement industry have invested over £15 million in state-of-the-art equipment and accessible regional facilities. We offer the only national coverage for tyre collection and disposal service, assuring our customers of a sustainable first class service. We have recently seen an increase in tyre size and weight with more 4×4, run-flat, and low profile sports tyres. These affect the amount of tyres per tonne which are likely to lead to increased collection charges to the retailer.”