Irish Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten, has announced the details of the new system for recycling tyres in Ireland. This move comes in the face of objections from the tyre industry in Ireland and concerns from the UK about cross border disposal issues.
UK & Ireland at Loggerheads Due to New EPR System
The system, to be overseen by Repak, who already manage Ireland’s successful packaging industry recycling scheme, will see motorists charged a notified fee of €2.80 per car tyre and €1.50 per motorcycle tyre. This will be shown on invoices as the vEMC.
It is proposed that further vEMCs will be introduced to cover truck, construction and agricultural tyres. Bicycle tyres will, for the meantime be exempt.
This producer responsibility scheme is being attacked by the tyre industry who say it will do nothing to prevent illegal stockpiles. The Ministry of the Environment estimate that Ireland currently has some 750,000 tyres illegally dumped around the country. However, Naughten says that the model has worked for other sectors.
Naughten added. “The consumer must have confidence that fees they are paying for the proper disposal of their waste tyres are standardised and used for their intended purpose. In the future, I do not want to have to use public finances – derived from taxes on the same consumers – to clean up tyres that are illegally dumped in our countryside and rivers.”
There is a lack of information in relation to the tyre market in Ireland, Mr Naughten admitted. “These regulations will place a reporting obligation on tyre operators to provide data on the numbers of tyres coming on and off the market. This will be the first time that there will be clarity.”
