Tyre Recovery Association demands tougher ELT rules in EA inquiry

TRA Submits Evidence to Waste Tyre Review, Urges End to T8 Exemptions

The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has formally submitted a detailed dossier of evidence to the Environment Agency (EA), calling for urgent reform in the handling and export of end-of-life tyres (ELTs). The move follows mounting scrutiny of the UK waste tyre system, intensified by a BBC investigation highlighting the environmental risks of tyre exports to India.

BBC Investigation Triggers Review

The EA launched its Waste Tyre review after the BBC File on 4 documentary The Tyre Scandal uncovered serious failings in the export chain, including UK-registered tyres being shipped to India in baled form with minimal oversight. This raised public and regulatory concern about compliance gaps and environmental accountability.

In response, the TRA provided both written evidence and in-person contributions at a key EA consultation event in Birmingham on 22 May. Its dossier outlines systemic regulatory failings and urges policy reforms to better protect the environment and support the UK’s legitimate recycling sector.

Key Reforms Proposed by the TRA

At the heart of the TRA’s submission are two long-standing policy recommendations:

■ A ban on T8 exemptions – These exemptions currently allow unregulated handling of ELTs, including baled exports. While Scotland scrapped T8 exemptions in 2018, England and Wales have yet to follow.

■ An end to whole ELT exports – The TRA advocates a “shred-only” export model, already adopted in Australia, which ensures tyres are properly processed before leaving the UK.

TRA Secretary General Peter Taylor OBE said the association’s evidence included GPS tracking data and trade discrepancy analyses that “demonstrate the scale of the problem”. He said, “The time for platitudes and one-way correspondence is over. We must be confident that our submission will empower the EA to finally take decisive action.”

The submission reflects over five years of engagement between the TRA and UK regulators, and comes at a time when the government has pledged to transition to a circular economy that reduces waste and supports green jobs.

Sector Response and Next Steps

The TRA confirmed it will continue working closely with the EA and DEFRA to support post-inquiry reforms. The industry now awaits the EA’s formal report and any associated regulatory changes.

With policy momentum growing and public scrutiny high, ELT recyclers hope the review will lead to more robust controls that limit environmental damage and boost domestic reprocessing capacity.

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The TRA’s call for a shred-only export model reflects a growing industry push toward greater transparency, accountability, and circularity in waste tyre management. If adopted, such a shift could align UK regulations with global best practice while stimulating investment in domestic tyre recycling infrastructure, a critical component in decarbonising end-of-life tyre flows across passenger, commercial, and off-road sectors.

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Tagged with: waste tyre regulation, TRA, Environment Agency, end-of-life tyres, ELT export, T8 exemption, tyre recycling UK, shred-only model

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