After years of industry lobbying on waste exports, it took the BBC File on 4 Tyre Scandal article to light a fire under the Environment Agency
In a 170 page review of the state of the waste tyre export situation, the Environment Agency has admitted that there are shortcomings in the system.
With some 86.9 per cent of the UK’s waste tyre exports going to India, the EA has focused on the challenges in that particular trade. Exports to India appear to have peaked in 2024 at 386,100 tonnes, figures for 2025 to date at the time of the review stood at 128,880 tonnes
In brief, the Annex VII will become a mandatory requirement BEFORE any exports take place – this is already in force in Scotland by SEPA, although as there is a transparent border between Scotland and England, Scottish arisings often just get shipped out through a middleman and an English port.
The requirement for the Annex VII will bring an end to that practice, at least. Also coming is the end of the T8, which is now recognised as playing a huge part in the questionable export trade.
The export figures interestingly show some surprising destinations, some in Europe, but also Pakistan.
Tyre and Rubber Recycling will have a more in-depth article on this shortly.
