Traceability of tyres is a huge issue for the tyre recovery sector. When tyres end up in the wrong place, dumped or exported illegally, there is currently no traceability. RFID company PragmatIC presented to the TRA Forum their solution for legitimate recyclers.
ELT Traceability A Possibility with PragmatIC RFID
The “life” of an ELT begins when it is removed from a vehicle. By introducing a tyre specific RFID tag at the point of removal with the details of the tyre – date, type, destination; the collection company can create a data flow that allows them to know every individual tyre that goes through their system.
This can follow the tyre through to its departure from the recycling centre as shred, baled, or casing for retread, part worn for export. This puts the collector in control of his tyres and he knows exactly where they came from and where they went. He can report on that in detail.
Of course, it could be argued that this does not prevent tyre retailers from removing tyres and not fitting the RFID tag and recording the data. But the TRA, will be urging its members to ONLY collect from Responsible Recyclers retailers who operate the scheme. In theory, this should drive more retailers towards responsible retailing.
There is of, course a cost. The tags themselves are cheap, a penny or so per tag, and the card programmer/ reader is also much cheaper than previous equipment launched into the tyre market. The system is backed by the TRA and endorsed by the NTDA
The combination of technology and ever tightening enforcement should see waste tyre offences being reduced to either the hard-core criminals or individuals ignorant of the law.