‘Angry’ ITIA calls waste tyre management scheme that is ‘fit for purpose’

Addressing the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate and Environment in relation to the Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017, Paddy Murphy, president of ITIA (Irish Tyre Industry Association) stated: “The tyre industry is frustrated and angry at not being heard in relation to its concerns about the successful operation of the new waste tyre scheme under the new regulations. We are now calling on the committee to nullify the regulations or make recommendations that will take into account three key issues as raised by the Industry.

The ITIA believes, in its current form, the scheme will “impact significantly on the viability of retail businesses in the Republic of Ireland as the legislation does not apply in Northern Ireland, putting companies here in the south at a distinct competitive disadvantage.” Supporting this view Senator Michael McDowell voiced his concern about the answers being tendered. He detailed that a scheme of this kind should have been implemented on an agreed basis North/South. He called for a clear indication of precisely what was done to attempt to get an agreed outcome and he asked who did an economic study on this. He also pointed out that this is a fairly elaborate scheme that will most inevitably displace trade north of the border if it is implemented at the moment. He received no answers, that deal adequately with these vital questions, nor did any of the committee members.

The reporting requirements are also proving time consuming and cumbersome for many small retailers who will need to invest in IT and other resources to meet their obligations under the new legislation.

This scheme was designed to tackle the problem of illegally dumped tyres. However, without robust enforcement of penalties for non-compliance, which is the root of the problem, this scheme will not achieve its objective. Local Authorities need to be resourced to adequately enforce the legislation and apply fixed penalty notices where non-compliant traders are identified.

Murphy added: “The ITIA recognises that it has both a legal and moral obligation to recycle tyre waste in an environmentally appropriate manner and we want to see a ‘fit for purpose’ scheme that is robust, sustainable and informed by industry, we have argued this for some time now and to date have never received answers, as with the Environmental Committee questions, the answers were not forthcoming”.