Tyre Dumper Caught Red Handed

A New Zealand man is today some £7,500 worse off but hopefully on his way to better understanding the meaning of the word recycling after being fined for illegally stockpiling tyres in a disused quarry. Owen McDonald Douglas, sole shareholder and business manager of the Tauranga based company Tyre Disposal Ltd, had been granted resource consent for using the site in 2004, on the provision that the tyres brought into the quarry were to be scrapped and incinerated as industrial fuel. Tyre Disposal Ltd had built up a sizable client base in the local area, and regularly collected used tyres from customers that included Dunlop and national tyre chain Beaurepaires.

Government agency Environment Waikato found an estimated 86,000 tyres stored at Mr. Douglas’ site, and laid ten charges against Mr. Douglas and two against his company. An official stated that the stockpile posed a serious fire and environmental threat, and Mr. Douglas was fined NZ$21,000 (£7,427) for his activities.

Enforcement officers checking up on Mr. Douglas two weeks after the charges were laid found that he was still collecting tyres for dumping in the quarry.