Russia has introduced a 35% import duty on recycled rubber crumb produced from end-of-life tyres, targeting imports originating in countries it classifies as "unfriendly".
The measure, established under Russian Government Decree No. 1445, dated 31 October 2026 and officially published on 3 November, will take effect on 11 November 2026 and remain in force until 31 December 2027.
The new tariff applies to rubber crumb obtained through the mechanical shredding of waste tyres, classified under Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) customs code 4004 00 000 0.
Hungary and Slovakia are expressly excluded from the additional duty, despite being among the countries otherwise covered by Russia's designation.
The decree amends an existing framework of elevated import tariffs on selected goods originating in countries Russia considers to be acting against its economic interests. It also introduces a separate 25% duty on cumene hydroperoxide, an industrial chemical used in manufacturing.
The legislation specifies the country of origin of the goods, rather than simply the country from which they are shipped.
Rubber crumb is produced by mechanically processing end-of-life tyres into smaller particles, providing recycled material for applications including road construction, industrial rubber products, sports surfaces and playground installations.
The new tariff creates an additional import cost for qualifying tyre-derived material entering Russia from the affected countries. However, it does not extend automatically to every recycled rubber product or prohibit imports.
For international tyre recyclers and material traders, the implications will depend on the origin and classification of the material, existing trading relationships and applicable export restrictions.
The measure is separate from UK sanctions on trade with Russia. British businesses considering transactions involving tyre-derived materials must first establish whether those activities are permitted under UK law, regardless of the Russian import duty.
The UK Government's Russia trade sanctions guidance sets out the relevant compliance obligations.
Although the tariff directly concerns material produced by the tyre recycling industry, its wider commercial significance remains uncertain without evidence of the volume of qualifying rubber crumb currently exported to Russia from affected markets.
The legislation is available in Russian Government Decree No. 1445.
Tags: Russia rubber crumb import duty, Russia tyre recycling tariff, recycled tyre rubber, rubber crumb, end-of-life tyres, ELT recycling, tyre recycling regulations, Russian trade policy, recycled rubber exports, tyre recovery
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