Reprocessing used tyres

An initiative launched by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should make it easier and cheaper for the tyre industry to reprocess used tyres.

Waste in the industry is huge. More than 100,000 used tyres are removed from UK vehicles daily. Placed end to end, the annual tyre waste of England and Wales would stretch from London to Cardiff more than 100 times.

However, a new Quality Protocol means that processed used tyres will no longer be classified as waste. This makes recycled rubber more marketable and guarantees to customers that the material they buy will meet agreed quality standards.

Recycled rubber from used tyres has many uses, including: landscaping (footpaths, paving, etc.); construction and civil engineering (sewer pipe seals, roof tiling, etc.); transport (automotive parts, rubberised asphalt, etc.); household (carpet underlay, floor tiles and footwear); facilities management (safety flooring, matting, etc.); and sports and recreation (artificial sports tracks and surfaces, etc.). The rubber can also be incorporated into retreads of earthmover and truck tyres.