SEPA and partners aim to tackle Scottish tyre waste

A new strategic partnership to tackle waste tyres was announced earlier in August by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and business group Entrepreneurial Scotland.

Through the partnership entrepreneurs are being challenged to find sustainable business opportunities for used tyres over the next five years. At the same time, the SEPA has committed to developing a dedicated sector plan that will set actions and targets for tackling used tyre issues, including illegal dumping.

Entrepreneurial Scotland is working with the Saltire Fellowship entrepreneur development programme to explore ways of creating viable business opportunities from scrap tyres, SEPA said.

Entrepreneurial Scotland’s managing director, James Stuart, commented: “Our Saltire Fellows are without a doubt the right candidates to take on this challenge. In the coming months, this year’s cohort will spend time at Babson College in Boston (US) and be immersed in entrepreneurial thinking. That entrepreneurial thinking will then focus on viable solutions to combat the waste tyre challenge.”

Approximately 100 tyres are turned into waste every 15 minutes in Scotland, according to the SEPA.