A new tire recycling facility has officially opened in northern Perth, adding further processing capacity for end-of-life tires in Western Australia.

The $50 million CTS Tyre Recycling plant was opened this week, with industry representatives pointing to the project as another sign of investment in the state’s tire recycling infrastructure.

However, the opening has also renewed discussion about the disposal of large mining tires in Western Australia, particularly in the Pilbara region, where many end-of-life mining tires are still buried or stockpiled on site.

Mining tire recycling remains limited

According to the original statement, around 50,000 tonnes of mining tires reach end of life in the Pilbara each year. Most are reportedly buried or stockpiled under legal exemptions that allow disposal in designated exclusion zones.

The statement said less than 5% of mining tires are currently recycled, with significant volumes of potentially recoverable materials remaining outside the recycling system.

Mining tires can represent an important feedstock for rubber recycling and downstream processing. Depending on the technology used, end-of-life tires may be processed into crumb rubber, recovered materials, tire-derived fuel or feedstock for pyrolysis.

Recycling facilities require consistent feedstock

The issue has drawn attention from Tyre Stewardship Australia, whose CEO Lina Goodman has discussed the matter with Australian Broadcasting Corporation media outlets in Western Australia.

Goodman said publicly supported recycling facilities could face operational challenges if they are unable to secure sufficient tire volumes, while large quantities of mining tires continue to be buried in pits.

The concern reflects a broader challenge for the tire recycling sector: processing infrastructure depends on reliable access to end-of-life tires in order to remain commercially viable.

Policy changes proposed for mining tire disposal

The statement said the Western Australian Government could address the issue through licence conditions that require recycling rather than burial for mining tires.

It called for a clear timeline to phase out pit burial and landfill exemptions, directing end-of-life mining tires toward existing recycling facilities.

Supporters of the change argue that aligning disposal policy with recycling infrastructure would help strengthen the circular economy for tires and increase recovery of materials that are currently being lost.

The debate highlights the connection between investment in recycling capacity, access to feedstock and the policy settings needed to support sustainable tire management in mining regions.

Article source: TSA.