UK association warns against waste tire stockpiling amid Covid relaxation

Aylesbury, UK – The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has warned against the increased risk of ‘dead-end’ storage of waste tires by operators due to the Covid-related relaxation of stockpile permitting rules. 

In a recent statement, the UK-based association urged the environment agency to exercise “increase vigilance” over operators who could store waste tires “beyond levels they have the financial resources to recycle responsibly.”

“Operators face multiple challenges at this present difficult moment,” said TRA secretary general, Peter Taylor, “With little income just now, businesses still have overheads to meet while recycling gate prices are very much higher than at this time even a year ago.”

With cash flows under pressure, Taylor said some operators would be driven to take in old tires at prices well below the cost of recycling. 

This, he warned, could lead to ‘dump and run’ when operators realise that they lack enough financial resources to cover the costs, “leaving property owners and the public purse with yet again an ugly and very expensive problem.” 

To avoid this, he called on the environment agency and other regulators to continue to offer help to operators but at the same time apply "the test of realism" in their role as enforcers.

“What comes in can only go out if input and output cost realities match up,” he added.

He also urged the tire industry to also apply the realism test, saying "a price too tempting is one which in all probability is also one which compromises our legal duty of care."