Partial start for landfill ban of whole tyres from July 16

Under the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002, the UK's implementation of the Landfill Directive, the disposal of whole tyres is banned from July 16, 2003, and the disposal of shredded tyres to landfill is banned from July 16, 2006. But some landfills will still be able to take in whole tyres. This exemption will apply to landfill sites which are to apply for PPC approval, a process which could take until 2007.

The Agency said: “The ban will mean a reduction in available disposal outlets for scrap tyres but more tyres are likely to be diverted to recovery facilities. The Environment Agency welcomes the ban as a means of ensuring we recover the material or thermal value resource inherent in scrap tyres and should encourage investment in developing new processing and recovery capacity.”

About 70,000 tonnes of used tyres were disposed to landfill in UK last year. The ban on whole tyres will affect landfill operators and those who take tyres to landfill, including tyre dealers and collectors, vehicle dismantlers, waste managers and local authorities collecting fly-tipped tyres. But, local authorities will not be responsible for taking tyres from residents, since tyres are not household waste.

The Agency's briefing notes, Landfill Directive Regulatory Guidance Note 17 reminds stakeholders that after 16 July 2003:

• Whole used tyres cannot be deposited at landfills for hazardous waste or at landfills permitted or licensed since July 2001.
• Under the current transitional arrangements they can continue to be deposited at other existing landfills, where this is authorised under the existing licence or permit, until the site has received a PPC permit.
• Whole used tyres may only be accepted at existing landfills for hazardous waste provided that they are used as engineering material, or are bicycle tyres or are tyres with an outside diameter above 1400mm where the waste management licence or permit provides that they may be accepted.
• Because whole or shredded tyres are not inert, they cannot go to inert landfills.

The ban applies to used tyres only, so manufacturing rejects are not included. Due to the difficulties of processing large tyres, the Landfill Regulations allow the continued landfilling of tyres over 1,400 mm in diameter. Bicycle tyres can also continue to be landfilled

Shredded used tyres may be accepted at landfills until 16 July 2006 where the waste management licence or permit provides that they may be accepted. The Agency has defined shredded tyres as material reduced to pieces 300mm (about 1 foot) or smaller in any dimension. Cutting a tyre in half will not be sufficient according to the guidance notes.

However, as tyres are not considered to be hazardous waste, a landfill for Hazardous waste may not accept shredded used tyres after 16 July 2004.

• For a full copy of the Landfill Directive Regulatory Guidance Note 17, contact the Environment Agency.
• For a list of tyre collectors and tyre recyclers in your area, see the letsrecycle.com directory.