Scotland Blaze Highlights Need to Reduce Waste Tyre Stockpiles

A fresh reminder for the industry about the importance of finding efficient and green ways to deal with the UK’s annual mountain of end of life tyres has come courtesy of a 400 tonne pile of blazing tyres in Scotland. A fire that began on the evening of January 20 burned for more than 24 hours, steadily pumping thick, black smoke into the North Lanarkshire skies. The fire’s intensity was also sufficient to damage overhead railway power lines, leading to disrupted rail services on the main line between Lanark and Cumbernauld until midday on Monday, when the fire had subsided to a level that made repair work feasible.

Also at risk was human health. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), voiced its concern about the smoke’s potential harm to both people and the environment – should all the tyres in the yard have burned about 1,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide would have been produced – the equivalent of the emissions resulting from a return flight to Australia. Other pollutants, including lead, sulphur, zinc and dioxins, posed a potential hazard.

Local fire services also stated that local residents should take necessary measures to protect themselves from inhaling the smoke, which contained small particles that can aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions and increase the risk of cancer. In spite of this, however, they sought to minimise public concern. “People needn’t panic,” commented Strathclyde Fire and Rescue group commander Steve Fitch. “If there was anything likely to cause serious damage to the public, we’d be taking more stringent measures,”

Mr Fitch also commented on the particular difficulties tyre fires present. “You have large quantities of rubber and you get irregular shapes,” he said. “When you throw water on that, it shoots it off in all directions. What you have to do is pull that pile apart.”

The tyres were stored in a yard belonging to Envirotyres, near Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire. The company had previously obtained the permission and licences required to store tyres at the site, and the yard is reportedly properly fenced and patrolled day and night by a security guard. The cause of the fire is currently still under investigation.