Aiming at waste reduction and actually creating new economic opportunities, Fiji’s government is funding the new Fijian Stewardship of Tyres with an allocation of $200,000 in the 2021-2022 financial year, Fiji Times report.

“It is a tragedy to see used tires ending up in ditches by the road, strewn across the coast, in our communities and it becomes the breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” said Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum while delivering the 2021- 2022 National Budget last Friday.

“Rather than being discarded and left to become unsightly breeding grounds for mosquitoes, they can actually be used for productive purposes.

“Through this new program, we will be buying back used tires for loose tire imports and imposing a tire recycling levy on all new and second-hand imported vehicles.

“We will also roll out a tire-refund scheme for existing on-road tires and for legacy tires in dump yards, back yards and stockpiles.”

Accoring to Fiji Times, the Attorney-General said the Ministry of Economy and the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Waterways and Environment would work with tire importers and retailers, local recycling companies and repair shops to get the program off the ground and keep used tires out of the environment.

“Fiji imports an average of over 290,000 tires per year and an estimated 565,000 tires are currently being used on Fijian roads.

“Through this program, we expect to not only extend the value chain of tires, but also create a vibrant recycling sector that can eventually spread throughout the Pacific.

“We also expect to use recycled shredded tires in road construction initiatives such as rubber, like glass, all of these repels water.

“And FRA depots will be used to collect tires and indeed they are currently in talks with the company that is going to mix bitumen with shredded tire to lay on our roads.”

To read more about the Fijian Stewardship of Tyres, please navigate to Fiji Times.