The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) today welcomes confirmation from DEFRA that the new government are committed to the reforms to the waste exemptions regime, first set out by the last government. Following the general election, it is hoped new political leadership will finally complete the reforms to T8 exemptions first announced six years ago.
Indicating the changes industry leadership has long been calling for, the department responsible for UK waste regulations and enforcement also have confirmed the new Secretary of State, Steve Reed, is committed to creating a roadmap to move Britain to a zero-waste economy. Details of the process to draw up the roadmap are yet to be released.
The roadmap will need to include a clamp down on exports of used tyres that end up in India and used for backstreet pyrolysis. While this practice is illegal, figures shared with the TRA and released in recent months, demonstrate that DEFRA and the Environment Agency have not been sufficiently capable of enforcing the rules, demonstrated by the unnoticeable number of prosecutions carried out.
Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, said: “I congratulate DEFRA’s new political leadership on their appointment, the TRA will be writing to Steve Reed and his team to convey our best wishes. DEFRA’s statement shows the new government has got off on the right foot, but there is no time to lose.
“We look forward to engaging with Steve Reed, as the new Secretary of State, and continuing to campaign for the regulatory reforms our members desperately want to see. It is crucial they understand the simple reforms we need to see to ensure environmental protections and conditions that secure British capacity.
“The TRA stands ready to help drive through the reforms necessary to move Britain to a zero-waste economy, supporting sustainable economic growth by driving up resource efficiency and reducing emissions and waste. The change in political leadership gives us every confidence the change we have been calling for will finally come.”
