Solution to Tasmania’s tyre problem nears

tyre stewardship
The approval of a tyre shredding facility will see the removal of northern Tasmania’s massive stockpile of end-of-life tyres (ELTs).

Northern Midlands Council on Tuesday approved the facility on Tuesday, which plans to shred approximately 1 million tyres.

The Northern Midlands Mayor David Downie told ABC News the approval was a significant step.

“It has been a great concern, we’ve had two fires in our municipality over the years,” he said.

“Those fires were of stockpiles a lot smaller number than the tyres we have at the moment.

“The major concern is if they did catch on fire that it would have an effect on the outlying areas.”

The shredder, which is expected to be in operation later this year, will only progress once a processing facility is approved.

Conditions of the council’s approval include removing the stockpile by 2020.

TyreRecycle Tasmania operator Tim Chugg is working on getting the processing facility approved, in order to recycle the shredded waste into a sellable product.

This includes grinding the shredded tyres into a powder used in resurfacing roads and playground.

He told ABC News the concept was used extensively on the mainland.

“One has to go with the other,” Mr Chugg said.

“We’re extremely confident that now we’ve got one we can establish the other as well.”

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to TyreRecycle Tasmania operator Tim Chugg as Tyrecycle Tasmania operator – there are no affiliations between the two companies.

 

 

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