Warning to tyre fitters over waste collection firms

Tyre fitting companies have been warned to vet waste recycling companies carefully after three men suspected of exporting waste tyres illegally into Vietnam and Hong Kong were arrested on suspicion of a number of fraud offences.

The Environment Agency's eight-month investigation gathered intelligence from a range of sources. Officers raided five sites across England to tackle the dumping of tyres in the United Kingdom and abroad. Environment Agency and police officers seized evidence from the business premises of all three men that were arrested. Two residential premises were also searched.

Environment Agency National Crime Team Manager, Andy Higham, said:

"The UK produces almost 50 million used tyres every year and it is now illegal to send them to landfill – they should be recycled here in the UK.

"But our intelligence suggests that illegal operators are charging tyre fitters to recycle old tyres here in the UK and then illegally exporting them overseas to avoid the recycling costs. As well as forcing other countries to deal with our waste, this practice also undermines legitimate tyre recycling businesses here in the UK.

"To export tyres that are not UK road legal and are therefore waste, exporters must check that the country of destination will accept waste tyres for recovery and recycling.

"The law is clear – it is always illegal to export waste from the UK to be dumped overseas."

Environment Agency intelligence suggests containers of baled waste tyres have been illegally exported into Vietnam – in breach of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and the European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006.

Mr Higham added:

"There is a clear message to tyre fitters here: check your waste collection companies carefully. Be suspicious of contractors who offer to take them away for less than 50p a tyre."

Waste tyres can be used in a range of industrial and engineering processes, and in consumer products. However, tyres do not decompose and are a major fire risk, releasing toxic fumes into the air. They must be recycled or reused under strict controls in order to protect the environment and human health.

The Environment Agency says it is working with the waste recovery and recycling industry to improve compliance with regulations and stop tyres 'leaking' from the legitimate system.