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Published: 22 August 2011

Tyre take-back scheme rollout a step closer


The Australian Government has praised the tyre industry on progress made towards a voluntary product stewardship scheme for tyres.

In Australia, around 64 per cent of tyres go to landfill or are illegally dumped or stockpiled, while only 13 per cent are recycled.
In Australia, around 64 per cent of tyres go to landfill or are illegally dumped or stockpiled, while only 13 per cent are recycled.
Credit: istockphoto

In 2007-08, it was estimated around 64 per cent of tyres went to landfill or were illegally dumped or stockpiled, while only 13 per cent were recycled. If this trend remains unchanged, up to 680 million or so tyres will be sent to landfill over the next 20 years.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell recently met with representatives of the tyre industry following the submission of a report and model scheme from an industry-government working group.

‘This is an important step forward, as the proposed voluntary scheme aims to increase resource recovery and recycling, and to reduce the negative environmental, health and safety impacts of all end-of-life tyres generated in Australia,’ he said.

‘The scheme will help reduce the amount of tyres that are disposed of through landfill, export, stockpiles or are illegally dumped.

‘Under this industry-led scheme all parties in the supply chain – from tyre manufacturers, retailers, collectors, transporters, recyclers through to consumers – will have a part to play in ensuring tyres are disposed of in an environmentally sustainable manner.

‘Once a scheme is implemented, I anticipate that tyres will be among the first products brought forward for accreditation under the voluntary component of the Product Stewardship Act 2011, which commenced from 8 August.’

‘The Act recognises that each product, material and industry is unique, and is flexible enough to deal with different approaches to product stewardship for different products.’

In November 2009, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council agreed to work with the tyre industry to develop an industry-led approach to product stewardship for tyres. The proposed scheme is expected to commence operation early in 2012.

The working group comprised representatives from the Australian Tyre Industry Council, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Motor Trades Association of Australia, Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, Australian Tyre Recyclers Association and the Australian, Queensland and New South Wales governments.






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