EA allows portside tyre shred storage, updates advice

On 3 July 2020 the UK government issued advice on the port-side storage of tyre shred via a time-limited Environment Agency Regulatory Position Statement (RPS 238). RPS 238 was updated on 15 September 2020 and lasts until 30 June 2021.

In short RPS 238 clarifies when you can store PAS 107 certified clean cut tyre shred and chip at a port before you export it.
This advice only applies to those that apply for a permit to store PAS 107 certified clean cut tyre shred and chip by 29 January 2021.

It doesn’t apply if: the EA has issued your permit to store PAS 107 certified clean cut tyre shred and chip; or it refuses your application; or if your application is withdrawn. This RPS does not apply to any other activity, even if it is under the same legislation. You may still need other permits or licences for other activities you carry out.

According to the RPS, in order to store tyre shred at portside, you must abide by a series of provisions including: having written permission from the port authority; only store PAS 107 certified clean cut tyre shred and chip in the size range 10 to 300mm, with the European Waste Catalogue code 19 12 04; only storing clean cut tyre shred and chip with incidental exposed wire and less than 5 per cent exposed textiles; and only storing tyre shred and chip on an impermeable surface with sealed drainage amongst others.

However, portside storage is limited to 5,000 tonnes of tyre shred and chip at any one time and to 3,000m3 (around 1,500 tonnes) of clean cut tyre shred and chip in any one storage stack. Stack heights are limited to 5m and must not be within 6m of each other without using a suitable fire wall with a 1m freeboard along with a number of other measures.

TRA welcomes new portside storage rules

The EA’s RPS 238 allowing enhanced materials storage at dockside has been widely welcomed by TRA members. TRA Secretary-General, Peter Taylor commented:

“For some time now it has been clear that regulatory changes were required to facilitate the shipment of processed tyre shred and chip from the UK to destinations where bulk, as opposed to containerised, loading was the norm. This revised RPS will not only enable that to happen but will greatly improve the economics of this trade so placing us on an equally competitive footing with much of the rest of Europe.”

He continued: “What is more, this semi-processed material should largely displace the destructive trade in baled whole tyres which in recent times has brought such damage to market development in the UK and elsewhere. The TRA would like to commend the Environment Agency for recognising the need for this change in regulation which will undoubtedly contribute to greater market stability and investment and, in turn benefit the UK economy as a whole.”

Complete details of the recently updated RPS can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storing-tyre-shred-at-a-port-rps-238