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Here’s your New Year’s starter question. For ten points:
What is the point of shipping British end-of-life tyres overseas to be burned, when our own tyre recycling industry has massive underused capacity?
Got the answer? Of course, it’s a sort-of trick question, because there’s zero point. It makes literally no sense commercially, environmentally, or ethically. And yet that’s exactly what’s been happening for years, thanks to some wonky legislation.
What happens to your old tyres after they’re removed?
As consumers, most of us don’t give much thought to where our old tyres end up. We get that: changing your tyres is just another job to get through before you’re onto the next thing.
But actually, there’s a big difference between different tyre fitters and suppliers. At the top end of the scale, a responsible company like ours ensures that your end-of-life tyres are recycled properly. As far as we’re concerned, that means that they’re passed onto a company that’s part of the Tyre Industry Responsible Recycler Scheme. Their members use best practice methods to recycle tyres into useful stuff such as sports flooring.
At the other end of the scale, there are two terrible but all-too-common practices.
The first is simply fly-tipping waste tyres on UK soil. We blogged about this a few years back: it’s illegal, but unscrupulous operators continue to do it.
The alternative is to exploit the loopholes in, and poor enforcement of, current legislation. In theory, we have some sound rules to cover the export and import of waste, including tyres. They’re known as the Annex VII rules, and they’re supposed to ensure that all our waste is disposed of responsibly and in an environmentally sound manner. Unfortunately, the rules come with a loophole so huge that you could drive a coach through it. This loophole is the T8 Exemptions.
This is how former Environment Secretary George Eustice describes the situation:
“It has long been recognised that the current T8 exemption from the need for a full permit for tyre recovery has been abused. People can self-declare and register for the exemption, renewed every three years and there is little or no enforcement of the conditions of the exemption. DEFRA has longstanding plans to remove that exemption so that responsible operators are not placed at a commercial disadvantage.
The UK’s old tyres are being burned in India
The upshot of this mess is that many of our end-of-life tyres end up in Asia, where they’re burned. The scale of the problem is horrendous. According to the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA):
India imported around 800,000 tonnes of scrapped tyres between April and November 2023. The UK was identified as one of the leading exporters of ELTs to India.
UK figures reveal some 300,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyre are exported from the UK per annum, yet the UK has at least 150,000 tonnes of licenced idle domestic recycling capacity of its own. It is claimed that 10-15% of India’s imported ELTs are sold as replacement tyres, with the rest go to outdated highly polluting batch-pyrolysis.
Batch pyrolysis is burning tyres, which often take place in illegal facilities that produce highly toxic contaminants.
Years of waiting for reform
It’s not like this problem has flown under the radar. It was announced some years ago that T8 exemptions would be ended, and Scotland managed it back in 2018. Meanwhile, the rest of the UK waits… and waits, and waits.
In July 2024, the TRA pleaded with the incoming government to reform the rules. Late last year, George Eunice (see above) took up the call on the TRA’s behalf. Since then, it’s radio silence again. But hey, it’s a new year, and hope springs eternal.
What can you do?
This blog covers tyre-related topics and promotes our independent tyre fitting business. We’re not environmental campaigners, and politics is outside our remit. So, if you’d like to see an end to the UK exporting its pollution elsewhere, the best advice we can give is to get your tyres from a responsible supplier and/or fitter, one who ensures that old tyres get disposed of properly. We know a good one in the South Oxfordshire area!
The BK Tyres blog carries news, views and information on tyres and related subjects. BK Tyres supplies and fits tyres throughout South Oxfordshire, including the communities of Abingdon, Didcot and Henley on Thames. As an independent, family run mobile provider, we provide exceptional levels of service and affordable prices. Contact us today.