United Kingdom Environment Agency Finally Acting on End-of-Life Tyres
After years of warnings, the UK Environment Agency has launched a crackdown on the illegal export of end-of-life tyres. This move could transform the country’s recycling and pyrolysis industry.
The recent BBC tyre scandal broadcast has lit a fire under the Environment Agency, which could finally bring about change – if it wants to.
The media, players in the recycling sector, and the TRA, BTMA, and NTDA have been warning the Environment Agency of the issues around exports and T8 crime for years. Now, they appear to be taking action, but then again, they are requesting information that they have previously been provided with.
Now is the time to take your gripes and evidence about waste tyre crime to the Environment Agency. Do not miss this opportunity, as it will be a box-ticking exercise if you do not.
The Environment Agency has now committed to delivering an internal review into its regulation of waste tyres and their export. The EA is inviting industry participants to submit evidence to the internal review.
They ask that if anyone holds evidence, or believes they can contribute evidence to the internal review, they should do so if they think they hold any information which they feel may be relevant or shows suspected illegal activity. This evidence may be provided via the following routes:
- Anonymously to the Environment Agency’s incident line on 0800 80 70 60
- Anonymously via Crimestoppers on their website or by phone on 0800 555 111
- Directly to the Waste Tyres Review Team by email at wastetyresreview@environment-agency.gov.uk
- Directly to the Waste Tyres Review Team at a stakeholder drop-in session from 11:00 am on 22 May 2025 in Birmingham City Centre
If anyone would like to attend the drop-in session on 22 May, please notify the Environment Agency at wastetyresreview@environment-agency.gov.uk. They will provide further details on the meeting location and arrange an arrival time. The Environment Agency may provide staggered attendance times to accommodate the collection of any information provided.
If you would like to give us the contact details of any other parties who may wish to provide information in person, we would be happy to reach out and invite you.
As noted below, we won’t be able to discuss the review, our position, or any provisional findings during this session. This is an opportunity for you to give us information that we will consider as part of the review.
On the day, secretarial support will be available to take notes of any information provided verbally. These notes will be shared with those who chose to provide information in this way. Anyone who offers physical information to us on the day will be provided with a formal receipt.
The release concludes with this:
Please note that the Environment Agency is unable to provide details on any subsequent actions we may take regarding the information provided, as this may form the basis for future enforcement actions that could follow the review, as outlined in our published Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.
Learn more:
- BBC Tyre Scandal: Tyres Sent to India
- UK Tyres Burned in Indian Furnaces
- Reclaimed Steel from Tyres Used in Concrete
- Tyre Pyrolysis & rCB Production
Reform Begins - Is the UK Tyre Market Ready?
As the UK Environment Agency finally clamps down on illegal tyre exports, a golden opportunity emerges for domestic recyclers and clean-tech pioneers. Klean Industries offers patented, proven pyrolysis technology for transforming end-of-life tyres into sustainable commodities, such as recovered carbon black and pyrolysis oil, all within regulatory compliance.
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