RMA: WISH proposals will decimate UK retreading

The latest so-called “WISH” Proposals for the storage of waste tyres would decimate the important UK retreading industry if adopted in their current form. That’s the view of Patrick O’Connell, president of the Britain’s Retread Manufactures Association (RMA) and MD of Bandvulc Tyres one of Europe’s largest independent tyre retreading businesses, who stated: “This ‘WISH’ document has been developed without any consultation whatsoever with Britain’s retreaders.”

O’Connell continued “The RMA is wholly supportive of the need to ensure that the spread of site-fires as presently expressed, these proposals from the ‘WISH’ group are unworkable. As an industry we have worked closely with the Environment Agency and industry colleagues to develop approaches to safer storage standards but our work appears to have been jettisoned in favour of a set of proposals from those with no knowledge whatsoever of our industry, commitment to regional employment or to better sustainability. These ‘WISH’ proposals are wholly destructive in their present form and if implemented would totally undermine the operational economics of many of our members’ businesses. We oppose the proposals on these grounds alone but are equally dismayed by the manner in which they have come about”.

The RMA pointed out that the association and its members favour co-operation and dialogue and have shown great willingness to work with the EA and others in developing practical approaches to site safety but, they added: “it must be remembered that real progress is the art of the possible. These ‘WISH’ proposals so far fail that test and we will oppose them.”

The statement from the RMA follows a similarly negative reception from recycling association TRA, which described the WISH proposals as “arrogant” and “counter intuitive”.