New checks on recycling tyres after BBC reveals millions sent to furnaces in India

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The export of used tyres from the UK is under new scrutiny in an effort to prevent them from being sent to furnaces instead of being recycled in India. The Environment Agency has announced enhanced checks following revelations that a significant number of exported tyres were being diverted to illegal facilities for processing. These makeshift plants pose serious health and environmental risks as they extract materials like steel and oil.

Campaigners and industry bodies have welcomed the new checks but are concerned that they may not close all the loopholes being exploited by criminals. The UK generates around 50 million waste tyres each year, with approximately half of them exported to India for recycling. However, investigations have shown that a large portion of these tyres are being sent to unregulated pyrolysis plants where they are “cooked” to extract valuable materials.

In some cases, these plants have led to tragic incidents, such as an explosion in January that resulted in fatalities. The Environment Agency’s review concluded that there is a high likelihood of exported tyres being diverted to illegal processing facilities rather than being recycled properly. As a result, enhanced checks on tyre exports will be introduced from October 1 to ensure that waste is managed in an environmentally responsible manner.

While these new measures have been deemed by the EA as a pragmatic solution to the issue, some pressure groups and industry associations are critical of the potential gaps in the regulations. The Tyre Recycling Association, for example, has expressed disappointment that the EA did not consider banning exports of whole tyres, as they believe shredding tyres before export would deter illicit sales. The effectiveness of these new regulations remains to be seen as stakeholders await further developments in the effort to combat illegal tyre exports

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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