Old tyres are a common fly-tipping problem, and they’re tightly regulated. Tyres can’t go to landfill and they can’t go in a skip. If you’re a garage, fleet operator or farm, you’re responsible for making sure your old tyres end up somewhere legal, even after you’ve paid someone to take them away.
Why tyres can’t go in a skip or landfill
Whole tyres were banned from landfill in the UK in 2003, and shredded tyres in 2006. Tyres don’t break down, they trap gases and move back up through landfill, and they’re a serious fire risk. A tyre fire can burn for days and gives off toxic smoke and oily run-off.
Because a skip load usually ends up at a transfer station and some of it goes to landfill, skip companies treat tyres as a banned item. See our full list of what can go in a skip.
Where old tyres go
Legal routes for waste tyres include:
- Reuse and retreading for tyres with enough tread and a sound casing
- Granulating into crumb rubber for sports surfaces, playgrounds and matting
- Energy recovery, mainly as fuel in cement kilns
Rules for garages and tyre fitters
- Use a registered waste carrier. Check the collector is on the public register before handing over any tyres. See what a registered waste carrier is.
- Get a waste transfer note for every collection, showing the waste code 16 01 03 (end of life tyres), the quantity and where they’re going. Keep it for two years.
- Ask where your tyres go. Many reputable collectors belong to the Tyre Recovery Association’s Responsible Recycler Scheme, which checks that tyres reach legal destinations.
- Limit what you store. Storing large numbers of tyres may need an exemption or environmental permit, and large stockpiles are a fire risk. Keep them away from buildings and have them collected regularly.
For the other waste streams a workshop produces, see our guide to garage and MOT centre waste.
Rules for farms
Farms often have large numbers of old tyres used to weigh down silage clamp sheets. While they’re being used for that, they’re not waste. Once they’re no longer needed, they become waste and must go through a registered carrier to a legal destination.
Burning or burying tyres on the farm is illegal, and so is using them to fill in land or build tracks without the right permit. Large agricultural and plant tyres usually need a specialist collection because of their size.
Watch out for cheap tyre collectors
Illegal tyre dumps are a major problem, and many start with an offer to take tyres away for less than the going rate. If your tyres are found dumped and you can’t show you took reasonable steps, such as checking the carrier’s registration and keeping a transfer note, you can be prosecuted too. Our article on waste fines and real UK cases shows what that can cost.
What about tyres from home?
Most garages will take your old tyres when they fit new ones, usually for a small charge. Many council recycling centres accept a limited number of car tyres from householders, sometimes for a fee. Check your council’s website before you go.
Need tyres collected?
Select A Skip can arrange compliant tyre collections for garages, fleets and farms alongside your other waste. See our hazardous and specialist waste services, get a quote or call 01743 341 000.
Sources: letsrecycle.com, landfill ban on tyres; Gradeall, UK tyre disposal laws.