New Zealand Kicks Off Nationwide Tire Collection System

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, June 22, 2004 (ENS) - A national tire collection system to manage millions of old and unwanted tires was launched Monday in Wellington by a public-private partnership. The kick-off event was held at Victoria University's Adam Art Gallery, where the floor and benches are made from recycled tires.

The new system, called Tyre Track, is the brainchild of the Ministry for the Environment and the Motor Trade Association.

Piles of tires are growing across New Zealand (Photo credit unknown)

Every year New Zealanders throw away an estimated three to four million tires. Tyre Track will reduce the risk of old tires being dumped illegally or stockpiled.

"Too many old tires wind up on roadsides or in rivers or gullies," Hobbs said. "Sometimes they end up in ugly piles where they become a toxic fire hazard. They are also hard to manage in landfills unless shredded or quartered first."

Administered by the Motor Trade Association (MTA), Tyre Track will begin operating from July 1.

Tire dealers will contact Tyre Track when they have tires for disposal. The dealer then selects a Tyre Track registered transporter who will collect their tires and deliver them to approved storage and disposal points - recyclers, processors and landfills.

MTA Chief Executive Stephen Matthews said he was pleased that the tire industry, with the Environment Ministry's support, had produced a solution to deal with unwanted tires.

"People who use a Tyre Track dealer can be confident their old tires will be disposed of properly," he said. "Tyre Track members will sign a code of practice agreeing that their old tires will be delivered to approved sites. Our members have already shown strong interest in the voluntary scheme."

The new system includes a code of practice for transporters and a simple system for verifying that tires reach the intended destination.

Some of the unwanted tires will find new uses. Businesses today turn old tires into everything from playground mats or sports turf to erosion control walls.

New Zealand Environment Minister Marian Hobbs (Photo courtesy Office of the Minister)

Lack of certainty of supply has been identified by the Ministry for the Environment as a major issue for potential end users of tyres. Tyre Track should help reduce the number of tyres being dumped illegally, the MTA says.

Tyre Track will offer information to the public, explaining that dealers belonging to the system are doing the right thing.