Fly tipping is by no means exclusive to the tyre industry, but over the years there has been a significant number of cases involving rogue collectors and illegal stockpiles of waste tyres. Removing and dealing with these stockpiles – which in some cases can number tens of thousands of scrap tyres – is both expensive and time-consuming, so what can be done to address this problem?
At the end of January, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff and their work tackling waste crime were featured as part of investigative journalism programme BBC Disclosure. The programme entitled ‘Dirty Business’ highlighted problems associated with unregulated ‘man with a van’ flytipping to large scale illegal activities with links to serious organised crime such as abandoned lorry trailers bursting with up to 41 tonnes of waste. SEPA launched a dedicated intelligence and enforcement function in October 2019 to deal with those types of growing activities.
Following up the news that its parent company European Tyre Enterprise Ltd (ETEL) is acquiring leading tyre recycler Murfitts Industries, Kwik Fit shares some statistics that suggest not everyone understands the potential value of end-of-life tyres. According to the automotive parts and tyre network, fly tipping incidents have increased by a quarter in the past year.
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) is supporting a West Mercia Police anti tyre fly-tipping initiative. The campaign, which involves retailers and others handling waste tyres, offers special marker pens to identify the origin of tyre. TRA-branded handouts and posters promoting the campaign will also be available.
Measures announced in the Autumn Budget this week to increase the liability of illegal waste site operators have been welcomed by the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA). As of 1 April 2018, sites operating without the relevant environmental disposal permit, and those knowingly facilitating illegal waste disposal, will be liable to pay Landfill Tax and face fines amounting to an additional 100 per cent of the tax’s value. Operators of illegal sites will remain liable to criminal prosecution.
Nottingham Magistrates’ Court has passed no sentence on the imaginary twin brother of Paul Henry, a phantom figure named as the protagonist in a fly-tipping case. His very real sibling was not so fortunate, however – Paul Henry was convicted of dumping tyres by the roadside in Mapperley back in February 2015, and has been ordered to pay prosecution and clean-up costs, plus a victim surcharge, a sum totalling £770.
The owner of a tyre waste business has been given a 15-month custodial sentence, suspended for 2 years, and a 2 year supervision order after illegally storing almost 84,659 waste tyres at several sites in Devon. The case was brought by the Environment Agency and the sentence was handed down on 25 March.
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SEPA