Few Australians recognise that collectively we discard around 51 million passenger tyre equivalents every year.
Alarming as that number may be, fewer still would understand that almost half of that volume is made up of truck, commercial and fleet vehicle tyres.
That is why the industry cooperative body, established to address the sustainable management of end-of-life–tyres is focussing on fleet operators, including all levels of government, and asking them to do their part to address this environmental challenge.
Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) is a State and Federal Government supported, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission authorised body that is pursuing three core objectives: to institute an accreditation scheme that recognises sustainable management of end-of-life tyres, to educate industry and the public on the environmental challenge – motivating them to support sustainable industry behaviour – and to invest in research and development (R&D) targeting economically and environmentally beneficial uses of tyre-derived material.
TSA has achieved considerable cut-through within the tyre industry with over 1200 tyre retailers and more than 70 per cent of tyre collectors and recyclers participating in the TSA accreditation scheme. In addition, a public education campaign is generating broad recognition of the challenge, with both general media advertising and targeted industry communication. On the R&D front, TSA has already allocated close to $2million to stand-alone and cooperative research projects in areas as diverse as road building to water supply pipes and connecting equipment.
For fleet operators, including all levels of government, there is not only an opportunity to play their part in addressing a waste stream issue but also to drive the change by insisting that they only deal with TSA accredited suppliers.
Fleet accreditation within the TSA scheme is both free and relatively easy and the task of dealing only with other TSA accredited entities is made all the easier given the high number of major tyre brands, retail chains, collectors and recyclers who are already within the scheme.
By becoming TSA accredited, and asking the same of their tyre suppliers, fleet operators can play a major role in ending growth of the waste tyre problem and creating the opportunity for green businesses, offering jobs and delivering an ever-increasing range of quality products from tyre-derived recovered materials.
Application for TSA accreditation can be made online at www.tyrestewardship.org.au or by contacting info@tyrestewardship.org.au.
*Copy supplied by Tyre Stewardship Australia
