Since June 1998, two ECE Regulations have been used on a voluntary basis but are now to become UK law on January 1 2004. The regulations lay out specific conditions for the approval of individual retreading facilities.
Despite the existence of a British Standard for retreaded tyres, there has been no mandatory requirement for retreads to be 'Type Approved' or tested in the same way as new tyres. New tyres sold in the UK have to be marked with an 'E;' to show they have passed the relevant tests and are 'Type Approved' to ECE regulations.
The retread industry is hoping the new compulsory standards will improve confidence in its products and will help establish itself as an alternative to other forms of tyre recycling.
Sheila Ikin, director of the Retread Manufacturer's Association said: “Many UK retreaders have conformed to this new legislation for some time now. At present this figure is estimated to be 80% of all UK retreaders.”
She added: “We are convinced that the implementation of ECE 108 and 109 will have a considerable beneficial effect in allowing the retreading industry to convince both private and commercial drivers of the quality of Type Approved retreaded tyres.”
The ECE regulations 108 and 109 will be transposed into UK law and cover the retreading of tyres for the private and commercial markets respectively.
With the introduction of the new regulations, a tyre retreader must submit written documentation to the Type Approval Authority which will visit the company and randomly test a sample of the retreaded tyres. Once a retreader has been approved to the ECE regulations it will be given a unique 'E;' number to be displayed on all the tyres it produces.
Ms Ikin added: “The process of compliance has meant substantial added costs for retreaders but we believe that there is no other way for the industry to be able to claim and substantiate 'a;s good as new' policy.”
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