Old tyres scheme wins accreditation

Tyrewise has become the first regulated stewardship scheme to be accredited in New Zealand and now hopes to make the burning of illegally stored stockpiles of tyres or those dumped in waterways a thing of the past.

David Parker, Minister for the Environment, announced the accreditation of the Tyrewise scheme this month and the government is now calling on Kiwis to have their say on how the regulations within the project will work.

Matters up for discussion include setting a “product stewardship fee” – charged at the time of purchase to cover collection and recycling at the end of a product’s life – which is being proposed at $5.50 per equivalent passenger tyre.

The Ministry for the Environment is consulting at the same time on product stewardship regulations and fees for large batteries found in electric vehicles (EVs).

It says about 6.5 million tyres are imported into New Zealand annually and when they reach their end of use, about two-thirds currently go to landfill or are illegally dumped. 

The ministry adds that an estimated 1,000 EV batteries reached the end of their useful life in cars in 2020. By 2030 that number may reach 84,000 each year and mismanaged batteries pose a risk of fire or if they end up in landfill or are dumped they may release toxins into the environment.

Regulations will give manufacturers, sellers and users more responsibility for ensuring the responsible disposal or recycling of used tyres and large batteries.

Tyre targets 

Adele Rose, project manager of Tyrewise, says the tyre industry and motor vehicle associations have been working on creating a scheme since 2012 that will ensure tyres are collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfills, roadsides or being illegally dumped.

She adds: “The new fee will replace any previous fee charged to consumers, which was inconsistent both in terms of how much it was and if it was charged at all. 

“Consumers had no guarantee the fee they were paying would actually be used to recycle their tyres.

“It was also ineffective at tackling the issue of some 6.5 million tyres which are imported each year. Only 30 per cent of end-of-life tyres are exported, recycled or the product repurposed.”

Tyrewise has set a target of having 80 per cent of tyres collected and processed by the fourth year of the scheme’s operation and more than 90 per cent by the sixth year, she says. 

Rose, pictured, says the first year will focus on “building the network and infrastructure needed to achieve these targets”.
 
Consultation on the product stewardship regulations is open until December 16. For more information and submission forms, click here.