Tyrewise has reported continued progress in integrating New Zealand’s regulated tire recycling scheme into everyday industry operations, with growing participation from stakeholders and increasing interest in market development opportunities for end-of-life tires.

The organization’s fifth milestone report, covering the period from October through December 2025, highlights expanding collection networks, strong industry engagement, and rising demand for funding aimed at supporting innovation within the tire recycling sector.

Industry events promote circular economy opportunities

Two major industry events during the reporting period focused on advancing sustainable solutions for end-of-life tires and expanding markets for recycled tire materials.

The inaugural Round Trip Summit in Melbourne, jointly hosted by Tyrewise and Tyre Stewardship Australia, brought together manufacturers, recyclers, policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to discuss tire recycling technologies, infrastructure development, and market opportunities.

A dedicated workshop for New Zealand transportation and road construction stakeholders explored the use of crumb rubber in road infrastructure. Participants heard from researchers, material suppliers, road contractors, and representatives from Main Roads Western Australia about practical experiences with rubberized asphalt and other road applications.

Post-event feedback indicated strong engagement, with most attendees reporting valuable networking opportunities and intentions to pursue new collaborations and projects.

Tyrewise also participated in the Future Roads Conference in Hamilton, where discussions focused on the use of recycled tire materials in chip sealing, rubberized asphalt, and other road construction applications.

Rubberized asphalt continues to be viewed as one of the most promising high-volume end-use markets for materials generated through tire recycling.

Funding program attracts strong interest

Interest in Puna Taurima, the Tyrewise market development fund, exceeded available funding during the reporting period.

The program received 44 expressions of interest, resulting in 33 formal proposals seeking support for projects related to tire recycling, material recovery, market development, and circular economy initiatives.

Tyrewise said the strong response demonstrates growing interest in developing domestic recycling capacity and creating new end-use markets for recycled tire materials across New Zealand.

Applications were reviewed and assessed before recommendations were submitted to the Tyrewise Grants Committee and the Auto Stewardship New Zealand Board for final consideration.

Collection network continues to expand

The national tire collection network continued to grow during the quarter, with two new public collection sites opening in Rotorua and Te Awamutu.

This increased the total number of public collection locations to 103 nationwide.

Additional work remains underway to establish new collection sites in Southland and the Gisborne-Wairoa region, helping improve access to responsible tire disposal and recycling services.

One notable achievement during the reporting period was the collection of three tonnes of end-of-life tires from Great Barrier Island, demonstrating efforts to extend recovery services to remote communities.

Operational performance remains strong

Tyrewise conducted more than 1,100 site visits during the reporting period, representing the highest quarterly total recorded during the year.

The organization reported only two compliance issues and three complaints across the network during the quarter.

Transport service providers also received high satisfaction ratings from participating collection sites, with an average score of 9.4 out of 10.

According to Tyrewise, the results reflect the continued development of a reliable collection and logistics network capable of supporting New Zealand’s growing tire recycling infrastructure.

Focus remains on market development

As collection systems mature, increasing attention is being directed toward developing sustainable end-use markets for recycled tire materials.

Applications such as crumb rubber, rubberized asphalt, tire-derived aggregate, and advanced rubber recycling technologies are expected to play an important role in supporting long-term sustainability and circular economy objectives.

By strengthening collection networks, encouraging innovation, and supporting market development, Tyrewise aims to improve the recovery and utilization of end-of-life tires while creating new opportunities for resource recovery and recycling across New Zealand.

Article source: Tyrewise.