The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has shut down 13 tire pyrolysis units in Pakistan’s Sindh province as part of an intensified enforcement campaign against facilities operating illegally or in violation of environmental regulations. Eight plants were closed in Keamari district and another five in the Ghaghar Phatak, Dewan Cement Road and Bin Qasim Town areas of Malir district. The action followed directives from Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah to inspect tire pyrolysis plants across the province and take action against unauthorized or non-compliant operators. Sindh authorities said the campaign is being conducted under the provincial government’s ban on the establishment and operation of tire pyrolysis plants and is focused on air emissions, industrial pollution and compliance with environmental safeguards. The enforcement highlights the distinction between controlled tire recycling and pyrolysis operations with appropriate emission treatment and unregulated plants that can generate significant environmental and health risks.

Eight plants closed in Keamari and five in Malir

SEPA closed eight tire pyrolysis plants in Keamari district following inspections carried out under the Chief Secretary’s directive. A separate enforcement operation shut another five units in Malir district, specifically in Ghaghar Phatak, Dewan Cement Road and Bin Qasim Town.

The provincial government said inspections will continue throughout Sindh and that unauthorized facilities or plants operating without required environmental safeguards will face further enforcement action.

Sindh orders province-wide inspections

Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah instructed the Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department and SEPA to expand inspections of tire pyrolysis facilities across the province. Authorities said operations contributing to air and industrial pollution must comply with environmental legislation and prescribed emission standards.

The Sindh government is applying what officials describe as a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal tire pyrolysis units. Environment Secretary Faisal Ahmed Uqaili also directed SEPA Director General Ashique Langah to intensify enforcement against facilities violating environmental requirements.

Government says tire pyrolysis plants are banned in Sindh

According to the Environment Department, the latest closures were undertaken under a Sindh government ban on the establishment and operation of tire pyrolysis plants across the province. Officials said inspections will continue and facilities found operating illegally or without adequate pollution-control measures will be subject to enforcement.

SEPA had already identified pyrolysis plants as part of Sindh’s wider air pollution problem earlier in 2026. During a May roundtable on air quality, the agency listed bans on pyrolysis plants among regulatory measures being used to address industrial emissions in the province.

Authorities highlight risks from poorly controlled pyrolysis

Tire pyrolysis processes end-of-life tires at high temperatures under limited-oxygen conditions, producing outputs including oil, carbon-rich solid material, steel and gas. When operated with appropriate engineering and environmental controls, such processes can form part of tire recycling and material recovery systems. Sindh authorities, however, focused their enforcement on unsafe and non-compliant operations lacking adequate emission-control and filtration systems.

Environment Secretary Faisal Ahmed Uqaili said poorly controlled facilities can release fine particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, toxic fumes and other hazardous pollutants. He also warned that emissions from unsafe operations may cause breathing difficulties, eye and throat irritation and other respiratory problems for workers and nearby communities.

Improper handling of residues can affect soil and water

SEPA also raised concerns about solid and liquid residues generated by poorly managed tire pyrolysis operations. Ash, chemical residues, wastewater and other by-products can create additional environmental risks when stored or disposed of improperly.

Authorities said inadequate waste management at such facilities may contaminate soil, surface water and groundwater, extending the environmental impact beyond direct air emissions.

Crackdown focuses on environmental compliance

The Sindh enforcement campaign reflects increasing scrutiny of tire pyrolysis operations where environmental controls, licensing and emissions management are inadequate. Rather than treating all tire recycling technologies in the same way, the issue centers on whether facilities operate within applicable environmental requirements and use appropriate pollution-control systems.

For the tire recycling and pyrolysis industry, the Sindh case illustrates the importance of regulated plant design, emissions treatment, responsible handling of pyrolysis oil and solid residues, and transparent environmental compliance. These factors are increasingly important for distinguishing industrial tire recycling operations from informal or uncontrolled processing.

Information source: https://epa.sindh.gov.pk.