The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) today welcomed the announcement of a Westminster Hall debate on the critical issue of end-of-life tyres (ELTs) and recycling. The debate, secured by Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, 29 April. It comes at a crucial time, following increased scrutiny of the sector after the BBC's File on 4 documentary, The Tyre Scandal, which exposed the environmental damage caused by UK waste tyres being burnt in India.

The BBC and Source Material investigation highlighted the serious consequences of exporting UK waste tyres and the failures of the current waste regulatory regime. The programme’s findings unequivocally validate the TRA’s long-standing campaign for reform — particularly, the call to end the T8 exemption and implement a shred-only export protocol. The TRA stresses the need for robust regulatory reform to ensure that ELTs are managed responsibly, making full use of idle UK reprocessing capacity to support the Government’s zero-waste circular economy objectives.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, commented:

“This Westminster Hall debate is a significant opportunity to hear the Minister respond in person to the realities and challenges we have been highlighting for some time. Tessa Munt MP is to be congratulated for securing Tuesday’s debate. The evidence is now irrefutable; the current situation is unsustainable, environmentally damaging, and economically short-sighted. We have always wanted to work with the government to achieve policy reform and do what is best for the environment and British businesses. Action is needed now."

Taylor further emphasized that the upcoming debate must lead to concrete government responses, not just continued defence of the status quo. "Our members expect a clear commitment to action, not a repetition of the excuses we’ve repeatedly heard from DEFRA. Ministers can no longer afford to fiddle while tyres burn. The rhetoric must now be matched by real action and an effective update of UK policy," he concluded.

Press release by the Tyre Recovery Association.