Australia’s House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science has proposed a broad overhaul of the country’s tire management system, with 12 recommendations covering end-of-life tire regulation, off-the-road tire recovery, product stewardship, exports, retreading, recycled rubber markets and research commercialization. The report, “When the rubber hits the road: inquiry into the Australian tyre industry,” was tabled in Parliament on October 15, 2026, following a 10-month inquiry that included 71 submissions, 17 supplementary submissions, eight public hearings and visits to 13 tire recycling, retreading and research facilities. The Committee found that Australia consumed approximately 740,000 tonnes of tires in 2023–24 and generated around 537,000 tonnes of used tires, equivalent to more than 67 million end-of-life tires. While recovery rates for passenger, truck and bus tires are comparatively high, recovery of off-the-road tires remains substantially lower, with more than 100,000 tonnes estimated to have been buried at mining sites during the year. The Committee proposes nationally harmonized rules, a staged five-year reduction in onsite burial, an independent audit of the voluntary Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme and consideration of a mandatory national scheme, alongside measures intended to increase domestic tire recycling and demand for recycled tire materials.

Committee calls for nationally harmonized end-of-life tire rules

The first recommendation asks the Australian Government to work with states and territories through the Environment Ministers’ Meeting to develop a nationally harmonized regulatory framework for end-of-life tires.

The framework would seek greater consistency in definitions, storage requirements, transportation, processing and disposal rules across jurisdictions. The Committee heard that differences between state and territory systems create uncertainty for legitimate tire businesses and can provide opportunities for illegal operators to exploit regulatory gaps.

National framework proposed for off-the-road tires

The Committee recommends a dedicated national framework for off-the-road tires generated by mining, agriculture and other heavy industries. The framework would prioritize recovery, reuse and recycling over onsite burial.

Rather than calling for an immediate prohibition on burial, the Committee proposes a staged reduction over five years, recognizing that tire recycling infrastructure and transportation options differ considerably between mining regions.

The proposed approach would include interim recovery targets and public reporting so that progress toward higher OTR tire recovery can be measured.

More than 100,000 tonnes of OTR tires estimated to be buried annually

Off-the-road tires represent one of the largest unresolved issues identified by the inquiry. In 2023–24, only around 13% of OTR tires were reported as recovered, while more than 100,000 tonnes were estimated to have been buried onsite.

Large mining tires are particularly difficult and expensive to transport because of their size and weight. Mining operations can also be located hundreds or thousands of kilometers from tire recycling facilities, making logistics a major barrier to recovery.

Replacement tire standards to be reviewed

The Committee recommends reviewing regulatory requirements for replacement tires sold in Australia. Unlike tires fitted to new vehicles, replacement tires are not currently covered by the Australian Design Rules in the same way.

The review would examine issues including tire safety, durability and performance. The inquiry heard concerns that lower-quality or shorter-lived replacement tires can increase both material consumption and the volume of tires reaching end of life.

Waste tire export controls also face review

The Committee recommends reviewing the enforcement and effectiveness of Australia’s waste tire export regulations.

Australia introduced restrictions on exports of whole waste tires as part of reforms intended to improve domestic resource recovery and prevent waste from being transferred to inappropriate overseas treatment operations. The inquiry considered whether existing controls are delivering their intended outcomes and how enforcement could be strengthened.

Independent audit proposed for voluntary stewardship scheme

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water conduct an independent audit of the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme and make the findings publicly available.

The voluntary scheme has been administered by Tyre Stewardship Australia since 2014 and is financed through contributions from participating tire importers and vehicle manufacturers.

The inquiry found that participation remains incomplete. In 2024–25, contributing companies accounted for approximately 53% of replacement tire imports, while TSA told the inquiry that participation among vehicle importers represented only about 3% by market share.

Mandatory national stewardship scheme to be considered

Following the proposed audit, the Committee recommends strengthening Australia’s tire stewardship framework, including consideration of a transition to a mandatory national product stewardship scheme under the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020.

A mandatory model could require a wider range of manufacturers, importers, retailers, collectors and recyclers to share responsibility for tires throughout their lifecycle rather than relying on voluntary participation.

The recommendation is conditional rather than an immediate requirement: the Committee proposes that future changes should be considered in light of the independent audit and other evidence.

Future scheme operator should be selected through competitive tender

If Australia establishes a mandatory national tire product stewardship scheme, the Committee recommends that its operator be selected through an open, transparent and competitive tender process.

The proposal is intended to separate the question of whether stronger stewardship is required from the selection of the organization responsible for administering the future system.

Regional tire recovery infrastructure needs dedicated funding

The Committee recommends dedicated and continuing support for tire collection, storage, transportation and processing infrastructure in regional, rural and remote Australia.

These areas face much higher logistics costs than metropolitan regions and often have limited access to tire recycling facilities. The Committee proposes that a strengthened stewardship framework recognize these geographic cost differences and improve access to viable recycling and recovery routes.

Crumb rubber use in Australian roads should increase

The Committee recommends stronger government support for the use of recycled tire rubber in road construction. Proposed measures include national specifications, procurement policies and demonstration projects that can help expand established markets for crumb rubber.

Rubberized asphalt is one of the most significant potential domestic outlets for material recovered through tire recycling. Expanding road applications could create stable demand for recycled rubber while retaining end-of-life tire resources within Australia.

Retreading identified as priority circular economy activity

The report recommends treating tire retreading as a priority circular economy activity. Retreading extends the useful life of suitable tire casings by replacing the worn tread rather than discarding the entire tire.

The Committee heard that retreading can reduce raw material consumption and waste generation, particularly for truck, bus and commercial vehicle tires, while supporting domestic manufacturing activity.

Government procurement could create markets for recycled tire products

The Committee recommends strengthening Commonwealth procurement policies to support Australian-made products containing recycled tire material and retreaded tires.

Heavy government vehicle fleets are identified as one potential market for retreaded tires, while infrastructure procurement could create additional demand for crumb rubber and other tire-derived materials.

Public procurement can provide recyclers and manufacturers with more predictable demand, helping justify investment in processing capacity and new recycled-material products.

Research institutions and industry encouraged to commercialize recycling technologies

The final recommendation calls for stronger collaboration between industry, universities, CSIRO and other research organizations to accelerate commercialization of new tire recycling technologies and products.

Australia has conducted extensive research into applications for recycled tire materials, but moving technologies from laboratory or pilot scale into commercially viable markets remains a recurring challenge.

The Committee sees closer cooperation between research organizations and industry as a way to shorten the route from technical development to full-scale manufacturing and recycling.

Australia generated around 537,000 tonnes of used tires

According to data considered by the inquiry, Australia consumed approximately 740,000 tonnes of tires during 2023–24 and generated about 537,000 tonnes of used tires, representing more than 67 million equivalent end-of-life tires.

Passenger tires together with truck and bus tires achieved a combined recovery rate of approximately 87%, indicating that the largest unresolved recovery gap is concentrated in off-the-road tires.

Australia now depends almost entirely on imported tires

The inquiry also considered the structure of the Australian tire market. Australia’s last domestic tire manufacturing plant closed in April 2010, leaving the country almost completely dependent on imported tires.

This means that circular economy policy increasingly focuses on what happens after imported tires enter the Australian market: how long they remain in service, how they are collected and how their rubber, steel and other materials can ultimately be recovered.

Illegal dumping and stockpiling remain significant problems

The Committee received evidence of continuing illegal tire dumping, stockpiling and inconsistent waste management practices across Australia. Local governments accounted for approximately one third of submissions to the inquiry, reflecting the direct cost councils face in cleaning up dumped tires.

Recent research commissioned by Tyre Stewardship Australia estimated that local governments spent around A$7.5 million cleaning up 245,000 illegally dumped tires in 2024–25, while state land managers incurred another A$1.3 million in direct costs.

Committee views used tires as industrial resources

Committee Chair Rob Mitchell MP said the inquiry concluded that end-of-life tires should be viewed not simply as waste but as sources of valuable materials that can be recovered and returned to productive use.

End-of-life tires can provide recycled rubber, steel and other materials through mechanical tire recycling, while technologies including pyrolysis can produce recovered carbon black and tire-derived oil for selected industrial applications.

Recommendations remain proposals to the Australian Government

The 12 recommendations do not themselves introduce new legal requirements. They have been presented by the parliamentary Committee for consideration by the Australian Government, which will determine whether and how individual measures are developed and implemented.

If adopted, the proposals could significantly reshape Australia’s tire recycling sector by harmonizing regulation, increasing recovery of mining tires, broadening producer responsibility and creating stronger domestic markets for recycled tire materials.

Original report: House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science – When the rubber hits the road: inquiry into the Australian tyre industry.