Tyres
Waste Tyres, also known as End of Life Tyres (ELT) comprise both car, van and large vehicle truck tyres which are generally collected as a source-separated waste stream under EWC code 16 01 03. The Tyre Recovery Association estimate 40 million waste tryes are produced in the UK each year[1].
Overview
A tyre is 'a thick piece of rubber which is fitted onto the wheels of vehicles such as cars, buses, lorries, and bicycles'[2].
The preferred method of treating waste tyres is for source-segregated tyres to undergo a waste Recovery operation to produce tyre-derived rubber materials[3]. It is illegal to landfill untreated, whole tyres.
The Quality Protocol developed by WRAP in 2009 and updated in 2014 defines the End of Waste Criteria for the production of tyre-derived products. Once these have been met then waste tyres ceases to be waste as the material has been fully recovered[3].
Macro Tonnages
A recent Hansard publication[4] reported the UK disposes of around 600,000 tonnes of tyres each year. A BBC news item[5] reported the figure at closer to 700,000 tonnes per year, with both indicating around 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes being exported to India for disposal.
These figures contrast with the most recent information published by DEFRA [6] summarized in the pie chart below, with 237,297 tonnes of rubber waste generated in the UK in 2020 (tyres being part of this category and the broader tonnages summarized in UK Waste Tonnage) and export figures reported by the EA indicated around 98,000 tonnes of End of Life tryes were exported in 2023.
The difference in these figures are a result of the extensive use of an exemption from waste permitting T8 which allows for the handling of up to 60 tonnes of truck tyres and 40 tonnes of any other tyres in any 7 day period - waste exemptions did not require waste returns to the regulator i.e. they did not report the tonnage handled and therefore the tonnage is not captured in the reported DEFRA figures. This approach will change in the future, with the EA publishing in July 2025 an intention to modify the relevant regulation with a requirment to record tonnage handled[7] under exemptions and the intention to the remove the T8 within 3 months of the change to the regulation. In 2024 the EA had just over 1,000 sites that had registered a T8 exemption.
Use of Waste Tyres
A graphic prodcued by the Tyre Recovery Association summarises the potential uses of waste tyres, as reproduced below:
Local Authority Tonnage
The macro numbers above do not breakdown the component elements of tyres, but the following tyre headers in the page are a selection of those captured by local authorities handling tyres and as reported through WasteDataFlow.
Car Tyres
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 50 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
| Authority | Stream | Facility | Operator | Address | Material | Tonnes | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Lothian | Source segregated recyclate | Other Method | Not Available | Not Available | Car tyres | 2,436.17 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
| Cardiff County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Atlantic Recycling Ltd | Ty - To - Maen Farm, Newton Road, Rumney, Cardiff, Glamorgan | Car tyres | 2,350.16 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Inverclyde | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Not Available | Not Available | Car tyres | 1,831.80 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Credential Environmental Ltd | Plots1, 2 & 7, Breighton Airfield, Breighton, Selby, North Yorkshire | Car tyres | 190.34 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Argyll & Bute | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Not Available | Not Available | Car tyres | 188.00 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
| Greater Manchester WDA (MBC) | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Wheeldon Bros Waste Ltd | Yeargate Industrial Estate, Unit 1-4 New Road, Heap Bridge, Bury, Lancashire | Car tyres | 152.72 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Buckinghamshire Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | A S M Metal Recycling Ltd | A S M Metal Recycling Ltd, Griffin Lane, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire | Car tyres | 132.47 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Telford and Wrekin Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | D M E Tyres Ltd | Unit 1 Zone 2, Ring Road, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffordshire | Car tyres | 92.24 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Gwynedd Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Credential Environmental Ltd | Plots1, 2 & 7, Breighton Airfield, Breighton, Selby, North Yorkshire | Car tyres | 77.79 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| North Yorkshire County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Vellco Ltd | Ropery Lane, Weaverthorpe, Malton, North Yorkshire | Car tyres | 60.87 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Central Bedfordshire | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | New Recycling Ltd - Unit F1, Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Long Marston, Tring, Herts HP23 4QR | Car tyres | 59.11 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Bristol City Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | R J King & Sons Ltd | Belle Vue, Pitway Lane, Farrington Gurney | Car tyres | 56.24 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
Large vehicle Tyres
Below is a list of local authorities that sending this material to a single waste operator.
| Authority | Stream | Facility | Operator | Address | Material | Tonnes | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pembrokeshire County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Exporter - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | TD Tyre RecyclingOld Brs YeardAlltycnap RoadJohnstownCarmarthenSA31 3NE | Large vehicle tyres | 44.05 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Cambridge City and South Cambs Councils | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Envirotyre U K Ltd | Reed Point, Spalding Road, Sutterton, Boston, Lincolnshire | Large vehicle tyres | 25.88 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Thurrock Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | Tyre Reclaim; Tyre Reclaim, Unit 12, Fulton Road, Manor Trading estate, Benfleet | Large vehicle tyres | 15.16 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Fenland District Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Credential Environmental Ltd | Plots1, 2 & 7, Breighton Airfield, Breighton, Selby, North Yorkshire | Large vehicle tyres | 13.54 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| East Sussex County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | Large vehicle tyres | 8.11 | Apr21 - Mar22 | |
| East Sussex County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reuse (qu35) | Pountney Tyres Limited | Medow Road Industrial Estate, Dale Road, Worthing, West Sussex | Large vehicle tyres | 7.91 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Buckinghamshire Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | 4 Lad Group; Simba Business ParkPortsmouth RoadFishers PondEastleighSouthampton | Large vehicle tyres | 0.12 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
Mixed Tyres
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 1000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
| Authority | Stream | Facility | Operator | Address | Material | Tonnes | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Recycling Lives Ltd | D1/ D2 Longridge Road, Red Scar Bus Park, Preston, Lancashire | Mixed tyres | 8,725.31 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Norfolk County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Wiser Recycling Ltd | St lves Resource Recovery Facility, Caxton Road, St lves, Cornwall | Mixed tyres | 4,205.06 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Cornwall | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Henry And William Henry Orchard | Burnt House Garage, Dobwalls, Liskeard, Cornwall | Mixed tyres | 4,043.60 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Highland | Source segregated recyclate | Other Method | Not Available | Not Available | Mixed tyres | 3,251.04 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
| Inverclyde | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Not Available | Not Available | Mixed tyres | 1,831.80 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
| Hillingdon LB | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | McGovern Brothers (Haulage) Ltd | 26-27 Brent Terrace, Claremont Ind.Estate, Hendon, London | Mixed tyres | 1,685.00 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| East Ayrshire | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Not Available | Not Available | Mixed tyres | 1,154.71 | Jan21 - Dec21 |
Van Tyres
Below is a list of local authorities that sending this material to a single waste operator.
| Authority | Stream | Facility | Operator | Address | Material | Tonnes | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge City and South Cambs Councils | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Envirotyre U K Ltd | Reed Point, Spalding Road, Sutterton, Boston, Lincolnshire | Van tyres | 25.88 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Central Bedfordshire | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | New Recycling Ltd - Unit F1, Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Long Marston, Tring, Herts HP23 4QR | Van tyres | 19.22 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Fenland District Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Credential Environmental Ltd | Plots1, 2 & 7, Breighton Airfield, Breighton, Selby, North Yorkshire | Van tyres | 13.54 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| Pembrokeshire County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Exporter - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | TD Tyre RecyclingOld Brs YeardAlltycnap RoadJohnstownCarmarthenSA31 3NE | Van tyres | 9.56 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
| East Sussex County Council | Source segregated recyclate | Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) | Other/Exempt | Van tyres | 8.11 | Apr21 - Mar22 |
References
- ↑ https://tyrerecovery.org.uk/know-tyre-waste/
- ↑ Collins, 2019. Definition of tyre. Collinsdictionary.com. [online] [Accessed 5 Dec. 2019]
- ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 Tyre Recovery Association, 2014. TYRE-DERIVED RUBBER MATERIALS End of waste criteria for the production and use of tyre-derived rubber materials (TDRM). Natural Resources Wales, Environment Agency, NIEA, pp.5–11. [Accessed 5 Dec. 2019].
- ↑ https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-04-29/debates/DF1C0690-5CAF-4B76-98FC-49F46D94ED16/RecyclingOfTyres#:~:text=According%20to%20global%20trade%20data,to%20rudimentary%20batch%20pyrolysis%20sites.
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c14jy2dd8jeo
- ↑ UK Statistics on Waste 2020
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforming-the-waste-exemptions-system