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Waste management
It is estimated that around 18 million waste tyres (measured in equivalent passenger units) are generated in Australia each year. The disposal or re-use of waste tyres varies greatly between States and Territories but overall nationally, it is estimated that about 57% of waste tyres go to landfill and 13% are disposed of inappropriately through illegal dumping.
Apart from the costs to the community and local and State/Territory Governments through littering our landscapes and waterways and taking up scarce landfill space, waste tyres are a source of health and environmental concerns: fires in stockpiles can release toxic gases and pollute waterways and tyre stockpiles provide breeding habitats for mosquitoes. Tyres going to landfill or being dumped are also a lost opportunity; waste tyres are a potentially valuable resource with various re-use, recycling and waste to energy options.
The Australian Government is working with industry, government and the community to reduce the environmental impact of waste tyres.
We first explored the size and nature of the problem and then looked at options for a possible national approach. The Atech Group Pty Ltd undertook this work and produced the report 'A National Approach to Waste Tyres'.
The report was published in 2001 and consists of two parts.
We then invited organisations and individuals to comment on the report and particularly on the policy options outlined in Part 2. A summary of Submissions was prepared.
In October 2002, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), agreed that national action is required on waste tyres and directed the EPHC Standing Committee to scope the waste tyre issue and prepare specific proposals for national action.
A policy discussion paper was released by the EPHC to:
The period for comment on the paper closed in February 2003. Twenty-eight submissions were received. The views expressed will form the process of choosing and designing the appropriate policy option(s) to manage Australia's waste tyre problem.
In 2004 the tyre industry requested governments to investigate the development of a regulatory 'safety net' to protect participants in their proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme from competitive disadvantage. In December 2004, Environment Ministers, working together through the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, responded by releasing a discussion paper titled Co-Regulatory Frameworks for Product Stewardship. Organisations and individuals were requested to provide comment by 25 February 2005. This feedback will inform future work on co-regulation for product stewardship.
For further information on the development of product stewardship arrangements for end of life tyres refer to the following documents: