The Waste Management (Tyres & Waste Tyres) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 664 of 2007) came into effect on 1 January 2008. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government had been working with tyre industry stakeholders to develop a voluntary industry initiative on tyre recycling. A lack of information on the movement of waste tyres has led to poor waste management practices. The Regulations are aimed at improving information on the movement of waste tyres and encouraging greater recycling of tyres.
What is the Purpose of the Regulations?
The Regulations are designed to promote the environmentally sound management of waste tyres and to provide a regulatory framework for tracking the movement of waste tyres.
The Regulations impose obligations on the following categories:
- Manufacturers
- Importers
- Wholesalers
- Suppliers
- Traders
- Retailers
- Collectors of waste tyres
- Farmers
An exemption from these obligations is available to persons who participate in either of the following:
- Join Repak End of Life Tyres (REPAK ELT), the sole compliance scheme approved under the 2007 Regulations,
OR
- Self-comply through registration with Offaly County Council.
The REPAK ELT compliance scheme
Repak ELT, a not for profit organisation, is the only authorised scheme operated for waste tyre compliance in Ireland. In establishing REPAK ELT, Repak has drawn on the expertise they have gleaned from two decades in the waste compliance industry, where they have brought Ireland up to a lead position in packaging compliance, for Europe.
Repak ELT ensures that the tyre industry can fulfill its obligations under the waste tyre regulations in a simple and stress free way.
As a tyre operator you have legal obligations as to how you need to report and handle tyres and waste tyres in your business.
If you are a manufacturer, importer, wholesaler, supplier, trader, retailer or a combination of more than one of these categories, the waste tyre regulations impose obligations on you to report the tyres you manage, as you supply them to the Irish market. Collectors and recyclers of End of Life Tyres (ELT) also have legal obligations for the management of the waste handled.
The regulations require you to prepare and present waste management plans and reports when submitting applications for registration and submit a report to the EPA by the 28th February of each year.
Membership of the Repak ELT scheme exempts you from having to prepare or submit the additional reports set out in the regulations.
Registering and reporting to Repak ELT fulfils all your legal requirements in relation to how your business manages the waste it creates, whether directly or indirectly, through the manufacture and or supply of tyres to the Irish market.
Further information is available on www.repakelt.ie
Self Compliance with Offaly County Council
If not registered with the REPAK ELT scheme, you must register with your Local Authority. Please click here for self compliance registration with Offaly County Council.
Each local authority is obliged to establish and maintain a register of self-complying Producers, Suppliers, and Collectors and as appropriate, farmers for the purposes of these Regulations. Local authorities are also responsible for the enforcement of the Regulations.
Fees for registration with the Local Authority
- Producers: €25 per tonne of tyres supplied in the functional area of the local authority concerned; minimum fee of €750.
- Suppliers (e.g. wholesalers /retailers): €100 in respect of each premise.
- Authorised Waste Collectors: €100 in respect of each premises.
- Farmers: €20 in respect of each farm.
This information does not act as a direct interpretation of the law and for full information the Regulations should be consulted. Regulations are available by contacting www.environ.ie
Comparison of the two options for compliance with the regulations
Self compliance with Offaly County Council versus Registration with the approved REPAK ELT scheme
