The Waste Management (Tyres & Waste Tyres) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 664 of 2007) came into effect on 1 January 2008. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government had been working with tyre industry stakeholders to develop a voluntary industry initiative on tyre recycling. A lack of information on the movement of waste tyres has led to poor waste management practices. The new Regulations are aimed at improving information on the movement of waste tyres and encouraging greater recycling of tyres.
What is the Purpose of the Regulations?
The Regulations are designed to promote the environmentally sound management of waste tyres and to provide a regulatory framework for tracking the movement of waste tyres. Quantities of waste tyres arising will be compared with the quantities placed on the market. The movement of waste tyres will be tracked from the time they are discarded to the point where they are either reused or recycled/recovered.
Who do the Regulations apply to?
- Manufacturers
- Importers
- Wholesalers
- Suppliers
- Traders
- Retailers
- Collectors of waste tyres
- Farmers
Are there any exemptions?
Persons who participate in a voluntary compliance scheme operated by an approved body (TRACS) are exempt.
What is TRACS?
The TRACS system is based on tracking the flow of tyres from the producer (e.g. importer, manufacturer) to the waste collector, via the retailer, as the replacement fitter, and ultimately to the end user (e.g. waste recovery operator, remoulder / retreader, farmer).
Can I register with TRACS?
TRACS is inviting all economic operators in the tyre sector to join its scheme.
Contact details for TRACS are as follows:-
Tyre Recovery Activity Compliance Scheme Ltd. (TRACS),
U25, Guinness Enterprise Centre,
Taylor’s Lane, Dublin 8.
Phone: (01) 4100860
Fax: (01) 4100550
If I don’t register with TRACS…?
You must register with your Local Authority.
Each local authority is obliged to establish and maintain a register of self-complying Producers, Suppliers, Collectors and as appropriate farmers for the purposes of these Regulations. Local authorities are also responsible for the enforcement of the Regulations.
What are the Registration Fees?
Producers: €25 per tonne of tyres supplied in the functional area of the local authority concerned; minimum fee of €750.
This information does not act as a direct interpretation of the law and for full information the Regulations should be consulted. Regulations are available by contacting www.environ.ie