Consultation sought on proposed end-of-life tyre scheme

New Zealand’s Tyrewise working group has released Scoping Report 4: What might a future programme look like?, which outlines the industry-preferred option for a national product stewardship scheme for end-of-life tyres (ELTs).

Currently, around four million tyres come to the end of their useful life in New Zealand each year and there is no consistent and sustainable nationwide approach for their disposal.

Many tyres end up in landfills, are stockpiled or are illegally dumped. This poses environmental risks and in some cases health and safety risks. Furthermore, it is wasting a valuable resource that could be processed into a useful end product for which there is significant demand.

Tyrewise is calling on interested parties to provide feedback on the proposed scheme at one of two consultation workshops that will be held in Auckland and Christchurch at the end of March. 

Gareth Mentzer of 3R Group, the Tyrewise Project Managers, said, “We have consulted and engaged extensively with all stakeholders to ensure we are tackling the issues head on. This report takes into account the wide range of feedback we have received since the project started in March last year.

“It identifies what a future program might look like and how it would operate based on what the majority of industry players have told us they prefer.

“If these recommendations are implemented, we believe New Zealand will have a widely supported and sustainable solution to what is currently an unacceptable environmental situation.

“We are very close to presenting the working group’s final recommendations to the Minister for the Environment and would like further feedback from interested parties so we can ensure the final report is as robust as possible.”

Interested parties can have their say by registering to attend one of two consultation workshops, to be held in Christchurch on 25 March from 10 am-noon and Auckland on 28 March from 12.30-2.30 pm. To register, call 0800 TYREWISE (0800 897 394) or email info@tyrewise.co.nz.

For those unable to attend the workshop, the full scoping report is available online and feedback via email is invited.

Feedback from the consultation will be incorporated into a detailed business plan, which will be presented to the Minister for the Environment in June 2013.