Today the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) issues a statement on the Environment Agency’s report following its review of waste tyre exports from the UK. British industry recognises the report as a significant milestone on the road to reform but highlight further steps are needed to create a circular economy and secure UK capacity.

Following the release of the 170 page internal review into the Environment Agency's regulation of waste pneumatic tyres and their export, focussing on the export of this waste to India, Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the Tyre Recovery Association, said:

“The TRA welcome this report, it is a clear and helpful analysis of UK waste tyre exports. It sets out the shortcomings of the current regulatory framework and the EA’s ability to meaningfully enforce these regulations. This is a true step forward after several years of inaction. It includes welcome initiatives on tracing and tracking UK export of waste tyres, the TRA will work with DEFRA and EA to deliver on these.

“It is important, however, that the policy creators and enforcers [DEFRA and the EA] recognise this is just a staging post on the road to the full reforms needed. We will continue to work with the Government to achieve a zero-waste circular economy and sustain the UK’s capability to process end of life tyres.”

The Tyre Recovery Association will shortly issue ‘The Road to Reform’, a recommendation paper setting out the clear programme of actions necessary to deliver the steps the Environment Agency recognise in the their internal review into the regulation of waste pneumatic tyres and their export, this will include:

  • Strengthening Annex 7 process for truly ‘Enhance Verification’
  • Steps to increase the responsibility on TFS shipping lines who carry waste exports
  • The introduction of geo-tagging and EA active management of the paperwork process
  • The need for the EA to manage waste exports from UK and not rely on third country partners to do their job form them

The Tyre Recovery Association continues to call on the Government to update two pieces of regulation:

  • Ending T8 exemptions (announced some years ago, but no action has followed. Scottish authorities ended T8 exemption in 2018)
  • Ending exports of whole end-of-life car tyres (ELTs) (as Australia has demonstrated, a simple and effective means of addressing environmental concerns and ensuring domestic capability)

Press release by TRA.

About Tyre Recovery Association (TRA)

The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) is the representative body for the UK tyre recovery industry. Its members account for the majority of used tyres collected and processed in the UK. The TRA promotes the safe, sustainable and environmentally sound recovery and recycling of end-of-life tyres, advocating for responsible industry practices and robust regulatory frameworks.