The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has welcomed confirmation from the UK Government that the T8 waste exemption – which has long allowed unregulated processing of waste tyres – is finally set to end. However, the TRA is pressing for immediate clarification on the timeline and implementation details of the reform.
The update came in a recent policy paper from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) outlining a broader reform of waste exemptions. The TRA has consistently highlighted the T8 exemption as a regulatory loophole that enables the uncontrolled handling and export of end-of-life tyres (ELTs), often with damaging environmental consequences abroad.
Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, cautiously welcomed the announcement but raised concerns over the lack of specific dates:
“The Defra waste Policy Paper is very welcome. It is good to see the intention to remove the T8 exemption stated so clearly. We have been campaigning for this for a long time… However, the exact timeline for this change… requires urgent clarity.”
The paper references a three-month transition period, but the TRA says the sector cannot adequately prepare without knowing when that period officially begins.
Compounding the issue is recent guidance – released just two weeks before the policy paper – introducing new permitting charges for T8-related activities. The TRA said the move sends mixed signals.
“It seems contradictory to introduce new charges for an exemption that is simultaneously being phased out,” Taylor commented. “This lack of clear messaging creates confusion within the industry.”
The TRA also drew attention to recent developments in Europe, where the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EURIC) has called for a halt to whole ELT exports, highlighting the severe environmental and social risks they pose in importing countries.
In light of these moves, the TRA is urging UK policymakers to follow suit:
“It is not only sensible but essential for the UK to reform its waste export regulations in lockstep with the EU,” Taylor added. “Without such alignment, we risk simply displacing the problem… A unified approach is critical.”
The TRA says it will continue to work with Defra, the Environment Agency, and supportive Members of Parliament to ensure waste tyre policy reform is implemented effectively and transparently. The goal, it says, must be to support a zero-waste circular economy while safeguarding environmental and social standards at home and abroad.
Tagged with: Tyre Recovery Association, Defra, waste tyre export, T8 exemption, end-of-life tyres, waste legislation, ELT exports, circular economy
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