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EPR waste-tyre rules
What it is
Extended Producer Responsibility guidelines for waste tyres, effective Jul 2022, making producers and importers responsible for recycling a defined share of what they place on the market. The obligation was 70% of FY22 volumes in FY24, rising to 100% from FY25
Crucially, retreaders are recognised within the framework - a producer buying a retreading certificate defers its EPR obligation by one year for that quantity
Impact on industries
- Formal recognition transformed retreading from an informal trade into a certified part of the waste management system, with a saleable certificate attached
- Creates a second revenue stream beyond the retreading job, since certificates are bought by producers meeting a statutory obligation
- Registration pushes volume toward organised operators and away from the low-quality fringe that damaged the sector's reputation
- Deferral is not discharge - a certificate postpones the obligation a year rather than extinguishing it
- Implementation clarity has lagged, and certificate pricing depends on producer demand rather than retreader economics