Tyres scheme draws interest
The roll-out of a product stewardship scheme for recycling end-of-life tyres (ELTs) is drawing attention from across the ditch as officials prepare for it to start operating next year.
A four-month trial of the programme, known as Tyrewise, is currently taking place in Hawke’s Bay to ensure the scheme operated by Auto Stewardship New Zealand Ltd makes a smooth start when it is officially launched.
Adele Rose, chief executive of 3R Group and Tyrewise’s implementation project manager, says a webinar last month examining trends in tyre stewardship was a chance to share knowledge with counterparts in Australia.
Representatives of Tyre Stewardship Australia gave presentations about its voluntary scheme introduced in 2014 but were also keen to hear about the progress of New Zealand’s approach to managing ELTs.
Rose, pictured, says ways to progress standards for old tyres, sustainability criteria and market verification methods were all discussed at the online event.
“There’s a lot of interest on both sides of the Tasman as to how we’re each progressing with our plans,” she adds.
“Australia has started on a voluntary basis and at this stage is primarily invested in research and development for new uses for end-of-life tyres. We’ve started with a regulated system first and will then look at tackling R&D.
“They are very keen to learn from us on the road to regulation and, likewise, everyone here is very keen to learn from them and the success of their projects.”
Rose says the trial of the Tyrewise scheme systems, which started in August, has successfully captured data through a web-based app that tracks ELTs from collection through transport and then to processing.
“That’s going great guns and testing the data and systems will take us through to December. The other part is the payment system – the interface between evidence of tyres collected, who has collected them and confirmation of delivery to processors – and sending those details to the accounting system to make sure people are paid when tyres are delivered.
“The trial is testing all of the assumptions made by our working group and industry over the years and it’s satisfying to see it all come together.”
Tyrewise will ensure tyres are collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfills, on roadsides or being illegally dumped.
Once the government has enacted regulations under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 for the scheme to go ahead, which is expected to happen late this year, there will be a six-month period to notify affected parties before advance disposal fees can be collected on imported tyres.
Rose says information gathered during the current trial will make sure all the systems for the scheme are ready to go by operational launch and avoid any delays once the six-month notification period has elapsed.
She adds relationships have been developing between companies that process ELTs, transport operators that collect them and the sites where the tyres end up ahead of the scheme’s introduction.
“A lot more integrated business models are emerging in the market. This means that when the scheme does become fully operational a lot of the work we thought we may have to do at the beginning is already being done by the industry itself.
“We’re really positive about the success of the scheme and even more positive it will achieve targets much more quickly than predicted during the design of the scheme.”
