Illegally stored stockpiles of tyres on fire, or tyres dumped in waterways, will become a thing of the past for New Zealand as the Government announces the final step in the creation of a New Zealand-first solution for end-of-life tyres and the proposed regulation that will be required to ensure everyone plays their part.
The scheme, which has been nearly a decade in the making, will ensure tyres are collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfills, roadsides or being illegally dumped, says Tyrewise Project Manager Adele Rose.
This came about on Thursday 4 November 2021 as Environment Minister David Parker announced the accreditation of the Tyrewise regulated product stewardship scheme – the first regulated stewardship scheme to be accredited in New Zealand.
The scheme, which has been nearly a decade in the making, will ensure tyres are collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfills, roadsides or being illegally dumped, says Tyrewise Project Manager Adele Rose.
“This is excellent news and is something the tyre industry and motor vehicle associations, which has led the Tyrewise work, has been working towards since 2012 when Tyrewise was first set up,” Adele says.
The Ministry is now calling on New Zealanders to have their say on how the regulations within the scheme work, such as the fee, which is being proposed at $5.50 per equivalent passenger tyre.
The new fee will replace any previous fee charged to consumers, which was inconsistent both in terms of how much it was or if it was charged at all. Consumers had no guarantee that the fee they were paying would actually be used to recycle their tyres. It was also ineffective at tackling the issue of the 6.5 million tyres that are imported each year. Only 30 per cent of end-of-life tyres are exported, recycled or the product repurposed.
Tyrewise has set a target of 80 per cent of tyres collected and processed by the fourth year of the scheme’s operation and over 90 per cent by the sixth year. “The first year is focused on building the network and infrastructure needed to achieve these targets. These targets could be accelerated with more investment in onshore processing and manufacturing, and critically, this will also encourage new businesses and jobs in Aotearoa New Zealand,” Adele says.
Regulated product stewardship puts the onus on importers, manufacturers, and retailers to make provision for the products they make and sell to be collected and reused, recycled or properly disposed of at their end of life. It also incentivises the design of products which reduce waste by being more repairable, reusable or recyclable.
The regulated scheme, Tyrewise, will also make it easy for New Zealanders to return their used tyres. This is achieved by paying Advanced Disposal Fees, charged to importers, distributors and manufacturers of products, to a regulated product stewardship organisation (PSO) to deliver the outcomes of a scheme.
“Industry participation in regulated schemes is mandatory, which means there is a level playing field and no free riders,” Adele says. “The tyre and vehicle industry has long been in favour of this approach.”
Tyrewise has made recommendation to the Ministry on how the scheme will work and who it will impact. Now it’s the turn of New Zealanders, both individuals and businesses, to have their say around how these regulations will impact them.
The Ministry for the Environment is seeking feedback on proposed regulations for product stewardship of tyres and large batteries. To find out more and to make a submission visit the Ministry’s website.
To find out more about Tyrewise visit the website.
The AA was a member of the Tyrewise Working Group, a coalition of industry representatives who worked together to develop a stewardship programme for tyres.
The AA is also a founding member and sits on the Governance Group of the Battery Industry Group (BIG) - a cross-industry collaboration which has submitted a proposed product stewardship scheme to the Ministry for the Environment, with reuse and recycling solutions for large batteries, including those found in electric vehicles.