The Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) has voiced concern that the expansion of a recycling scheme to include agricultural tyres could be “unworkable”.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has announced that agricultural tyres are set to be included in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme from next year.
The scheme, currently covering cars, 4x4s, vans and motorcycles, aims to find sustainable solutions for managing waste tyres.
From January 1, 2025, it will include all categories of bus, truck, agricultural, construction and industrial waste tyres.
Scheme
The department said that all tyre producers and retailers are legally obliged to be members of the scheme, operated by Circol ELT (formerly Repak ELT), which is based on the ‘producer pays’ principle.
The compliance scheme is funded by an Environmental Management Cost (EMC) paid by the producers to Circol ELT which then organises the collection and treatment of end-of-life tyres.
Executive director of the FTMTA, Michael Farrelly told Agriland said that the overall aim of the scheme is positive.
“On the face of it, this is a good thing. We all accept the circular economy and the need to recycle. We want to get away from where tyres are dumped on the side of the road.
“Our main issue with it is that as part of the legislation requires any producer or retailer of tyres to register and to administer the scheme between the consumer and Circol ELT,” he said.
FTMTA
The FTMTA believes there is no “absolutely no benefit” to having agricultural machinery dealers registered as tyre retailers or distributors under the expanded scheme.
“Our members and dealers, while they are recognised as retailers, they’re retailers by accident, because they’re only selling the tyre because the tyre happens to be attached to the machine.
“Very few of our members would ever actually change tyres on agricultural machinery, because it’s a specialised job and you need specialised equipment to do it.
“For example, if there’s a problem with a tractor tyre, you don’t bring it back to your machinery dealer to get it changed. You go to your local tyre dealer.
“We see a huge administrative burden being placed on our members for absolutely no reason and it’s not going to contribute to tyres being recycled in any way,” he said.
Farrelly also noted that on certain pieces of agricultural machinery, such as slurry tankers, the tyres usually outlast the machine.
“The scheme is just complicated and the agricultural industry is a unique industry and has a unique set of circumstances that apply to it,” he said.
The department said that Circol ELT will undertake consultation with key industry stakeholders “to support the upcoming change in legislation for tyres”.
Farrelly said that the FTMTA will be hoping to engage with Circol ELT on the issue and outline the case on behalf of their members.
He said they are concerned that the implications of bringing agricultural tyres into the scheme are not fully understood.
“We understand why there needs to be a register and why tyres can be traced from when they’re placed on the market first until they are properly recycled, we support that.
“But we also want to see a scheme that is workable, and that will deliver its intended results and that doesn’t put an unnecessary and an unequal burden on any particular sector as a result of it,” Farrelly said.