There are just a few weeks left before changes in the way Aotearoa New Zealand funds the management of end-of-life tyres come into play.
That’s when the first stage of government regulations designed to reduce environmental harm from end-of-life tyres will take effect, something the tyre industry has been working hard to get into place for years. For businesses buying or leasing vehicles, this will help the sustainability profile of their fleet.
The first regulation stage commences from 1 March, when consumers will notice a tyre stewardship fee being charged when they buy new tyres that will be used to manage those tyres at the end of their life.
This tyre stewardship fee must be applied at a standard rate across the country and has been set at $6.65 (excl. GST) for a standard passenger tyre, it will go up in increments depending on the size of tyre.
The fee payable on your new tyres for their future management applies from 1 March. Existing ad hoc disposal fees may apply to any old tyres to be disposed of up until 1 September 2024, at which time this must stop.
From 1 September, the country’s leading regulated product stewardship scheme for tyres, Tyrewise, will be responsible for arranging the free collection of end-of-life tyres from registered tyre sellers and collection sites.
The scheme will also ensure the tyres go to registered processors and manufacturers, so they get a second life in a new product, rather than being landfilled, stockpiled, or dumped.
Vehicle associations, VIA and MIA, as well as AA and MTA, were all participants in the design of Tyrewise to ensure the scheme would enable owners of vehicle fleets and private vehicle owners alike, to responsibly manage end-of-life tyres.
Tyrewise has set a target of 80 percent of tyres processed by the fourth year of operation and over 90 percent by the sixth year, says Adele Rose, of Tyrewise Implementation project managers 3R Group.
Currently, only about 40 percent of end-of-life tyres in New Zealand are recycled or used to create new products.
“Specially designed software will track the volumes collected and delivered to processors and manufacturers so that we can measure and report our progress against the targets,” Adele says.
“Our implementation team has been busy behind the scenes for months now, registering tyre importers, sellers, transporters, processors, and end market manufacturers, making sure everybody is ready to play their part. It’s amazing what you can achieve when an entire industry comes together to make a positive difference.”
The scheme will initially cover all air-filled and solid tyres for use on motorised vehicles including cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, forklifts, aircraft and off-road vehicles.
Tyres for products like bicycles and non-motorised equipment such as prams, as well as pre-cured rubber for retreads will be brought into the scheme at a later date.
