A new documentary released by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) examines illegal tire dumping in Australia, focusing on the financial and environmental impacts associated with improper disposal of end-of-life tires.

Titled Tyred and Wasted: Australia’s Illegal Tyre Dumping Crisis, the documentary explores how disposal fees paid by motorists and businesses for used tire collection may not always result in responsible processing, with some tires reportedly being dumped unlawfully rather than entering approved tire recycling channels.

Video by Tyre Stewardship Australia Ltd.

According to TSA, consumers can pay disposal fees of up to A$50 per vehicle, with costs in some regional areas reported to be higher. The organization said that when tires are illegally dumped, local authorities are often required to fund cleanup and removal efforts, creating additional costs for municipalities and ratepayers.

Illegal dumping disrupts tire recycling systems

Illegal disposal remains a challenge for the wider tire recycling and rubber recycling sector because dumped tires bypass formal collection and processing systems designed to recover materials for reuse.

When properly managed, end-of-life tires can be processed into crumb rubber for applications such as rubberized asphalt, construction materials, and artificial turf systems. Tires can also be processed through technologies such as pyrolysis, which can recover materials including tire-derived oil, recovered carbon black (rCB), and pyrolysis char for industrial use.

Illegal dumping reduces the volume of material entering these recovery streams, limiting the effectiveness of recycling infrastructure and undermining circular economy goals.

Environmental and economic impacts

Discarded tires can create environmental management challenges, including fire risk, pest breeding grounds, and long-term land contamination concerns if not handled correctly.

For local governments, cleanup operations can require significant labor and transportation resources, particularly when dumping occurs in remote areas, roadside locations, waterways, or public land.

For the sustainability sector, stronger enforcement, improved traceability, and increased public awareness are often cited as important steps toward reducing illegal disposal and improving collection rates.

Focus on stewardship and accountability

TSA’s documentary also highlights the role of product stewardship in ensuring disposal fees contribute to legitimate recovery pathways rather than unlawful dumping.

As Australia continues expanding circular economy initiatives, maintaining transparent tire collection systems will remain important for supporting tire recycling, strengthening domestic rubber recycling markets, and improving long-term sustainability outcomes across the sector.

Article source: Tyre Stewardship Australia.