New Proposed Tyre Waste Laws for Ireland

Manufacturers, wholesalers and any other business that supplies tyres to the market in the Republic of Ireland will become responsible for the ultimate fate of the tyres they sell at the end of their working life if new regulations currently under review are approved. On March 14 Ireland’s Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government released a draft paper outlining an initiative intended to track the flow of waste tyres back to their source.

The draft regulations are the result of discussions the Department has held with the tyre industry via the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA). The proposed new system of tracing tyres is to be known as TRACS, and it will follow the movement of waste tyres from the time they are discarded until they either reused or processed for recycling or other uses.

“It is imperative that waste tyres are not subject to unauthorised burning, uncontrolled disposal or the formation of indiscriminate stockpiles. These practices are not acceptable as they can cause nuisance, pose both environmental and health hazards and infringe waste and other environmental legislation,” stated Environment, Heritage and Local Government minister Dick Roche T.D. shortly after the draft regulations were published.

“Waste tyres are not in themselves a hazardous waste, but have the potential to cause environmental pollution if disposed of incorrectly,” the Minister added. “The tyre industry’s voluntary initiative will ensure that there are adequate systems in place to verify that such waste is collected and recycled to the greatest extent possible”.

If the regulations gain the necessary approval manufacturers, retreaders, remoulders and tyre importers will be required to provide details about the number of tyres sell. Wholesalers and retailers will be prohibited from transferring waste tyres to anybody except an authorised waste collector. Wholesalers and retailers will also be required to provided details of tyres sold and waste tyres taken back and transferred to authorised waste collectors.

Authorised waste collectors will be required to report number of waste tyres collected and transferred to third parties. Recyclers, retreaders, remoulders and other recovery operators will be required to issue “Certificates of Recovery” to every authorised waste collector who supplies them with waste tyres.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is accepting written submissions regarding the proposed regulations until April 26, 2007.