WIREDGOV

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Environment recently called for further action to ensure the safe and effective disposal of used tyres in its final report on its Inquiry into Used Tyre Disposal.

This is following interim recommendations that the Committee published last year on the disposal of used tyres.

Chairperson of the Committee, Anna Lo MLA, said: "I am pleased that the Committee has finalised the recommendations arising from its Used Tyre Inquiry. For some time now, the Committee has been concerned about illegally dumped tyres and the associated environmental impacts, including toxic smoke from fires in tyre stores and fly-tipping. In last year's interim report, we made 20 important draft recommendations to address those issues. While we welcome the fact that the Department has implemented 8 of those recommendations, we feel that there has been insufficient action in other areas.

"In particular, the Committee remains concerned about the lack of traceability of tyres coming into Northern Ireland and their eventual disposal. In addition, we have concerns about the administration of the voluntary used tyre levy. We would like to see all sectors in the used tyre chain required to register with a compliance scheme, as well as more powers for the Department to enable it to regulate the collection and use of the levy."

Ms Lo concluded: "The Committee wants to ensure that all tyres are disposed of in a safe and environmentally responsible manner and that there is proper oversight of the disposal process. We believe that these 12 final recommendations will build on the Committee's earlier recommendations and will help to ensure the proper management of used tyres in future."

Committee Chairperson, Anna Lo, outline the Committee’s findings in the interview below:

Notes to Editors:

The Committee's interim report on the disposal of used tyres was published in April 2012 and made a number of draft recommendations.

The Committee postponed publication of its final recommendations regarding disposal until the Department of the Environment finished its all-island survey of used tyres.

The Committee's final report can be found here.

Committee Membership:

Ms Anna Lo MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Sydney Anderson MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Mr Colum Eastwood MLA
Mr Tom Elliott MLA
Mr Dolores Kelly MLA
Mr Barry McElduff MLA
Mr Ian Milne MLA
Lord Morrow MLA
Mr Peter Weir MLA