More than 50 representatives from organizations involved in both new and recycled tire markets gathered to receive updates on WRAP’s progress since the first Forum, held last June, and continue to provide views and guidance to WRAP on its activities under the program.
The aim of WRAP’s Tyres program is to increase the inherent value of recycled tires by stimulating market demand for higher value products.
Discussions at the Forum mainly revolved around new legislation that will see the banning of the disposal of tire shred from landfill sites starting this July.
The view from the forum was that the ban will result in a surplus of car and van tires, with the actual size of the problem being dependent on several open questions, namely:
· the position of the use of shredded tire material for landfill engineering; and
· the volume of tires to be used as a fuel source for cement manufacture and other potential applications.
It was also identified that there was likely to be a serious impact on stakeholders’ costs:
· the cost of recovery will rise and increased costs will either have to be absorbed by the sector or passed on;
· viable alternative recovery routes for the tires will be required - existing outlets are likely to be full and able to charge higher gate fees; and
· collectors are unlikely to recover costs quickly thereby undermining their viability.
Initial indications were that sufficient applications would emerge to use all available used tires. However, many of these potential applications would take a lengthy period of development, manufacture and marketing before that stage was reached and would therefore not aid the situation in the short term.
Discussion also surrounded the need for increased involvement of regulatory and representative bodies.
Stakeholders also voiced their opinion that information dissemination on the situation over the next months should be improved through quarterly updates. WRAP will have a significant role to play in this priority action by the publication of information on the internet.