The Tyre, Equipment, Parts Association (TEPA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), has welcomed the recent reminder letter from the Waste Bureau to all tyre dealers, reinforcing their legal responsibilities in handling and disposing of waste tyres.
Vishal Premlall, National Director of TEPA and a member of the Waste Tyre Management Industry Advisory Committee, says the directive comes at a critical time. “The complexity of waste tyre management requires the full support of the entire tyre industry value chain. Dealers, in particular, play a crucial role in ensuring waste tyres are stored, mutilated, transported, and disposed of responsibly. Recycling remains the key to reducing the negative environmental impacts of waste tyres by finding ways to repurpose them into usable materials.”
Under the Waste Tyre Regulations of 2017, tyre dealers are required to:
• Segregate and store waste tyres safely until collection.
• Mutilate end-of-life tyres to prevent reuse, except through approved recycling streams.
• Use only registered transporters and processors for collections.
• Prohibit public resale of waste tyres, which is a serious violation that can result in fines and prosecution.
Consequence of Non-Compliance
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, through the Waste Bureau, continues to monitor and audit tyre dealers for compliance. Any dealer found to be selling, distributing, or disposing of waste tyres unlawfully will face enforcement action as per the Waste Act and its regulations.
“We urge all dealers to urgently review their current waste tyre disposal practices and ensure full compliance. For assistance, or to verify registered waste tyre transporters in your area, dealers can contact the Waste Bureau or their local environmental authority. It is in all our interests to keep South Africa clean, safe, and legally compliant,” says Premlall.
He emphasises that non-compliance will not only attract penalties but also exacerbate the environmental crisis. “Stockpiled and illegally dumped tyres create fire hazards, leach harmful toxins into soil and water, and increase the risk of diseases.
In 2023, TEPA launched its own whistleblower hotline to report illicit trading and stockpiling, and continues to lobby for the establishment of an industry compliance forum to deal decisively with malpractice.
“Dealers have a responsibility to comply with the law, and consumers too can play their part by ensuring that their used tyres are handed in at registered TEPA dealers for proper disposal. TEPA remains committed to working with all industry stakeholders to find sustainable solutions and a practical implementation plan for waste tyre disposal,” concludes Premlall.
