England and Wales will require full permits for mechanical tyre treatment as Exemption T8 is withdrawn within three months.
The UK government is tightening controls on waste-tyre processing. All firms that shred, bale or granulate tyres under the T8 exemption must now seek an environmental permit—or stop work—within three months of new regulations taking effect.
Exemption T8 let smaller operators process up to:
▪ 60 tonnes of truck tyres or
▪ 40 tonnes of other tyres in any seven-day period
Processes included baling, shredding, peeling, shaving and granulating for recovery.
▪ Fire risk: Major blazes, such as the 600,000-tyre inferno in Bradford (2020), show the danger of unchecked stockpiles.
▪ Environmental crime: Rogue operators used the exemption to avoid regulation and undercut compliant recyclers.
▪ Policy goal: Defra and the Welsh Government want stronger oversight and a “level playing field” across the sector.
*Three months from the day the regulations enter force.
The three-month transition period for the removal of Exemption T8 begins from the date the regulations come into force, not from the date of policy announcement or publication. As of now (18 July 2025), there is no evidence that the T8 exemption has already been legally removed or that the three-month period has begun.
Tagged with: waste tyres, T8 exemption, mechanical tyre treatment, Defra, environmental permit, tyre recycling, waste management regulations, England and Wales
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
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