Former Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt said he was delighted the Department of Defence—one of the Government’s largest fleet operators—was participating in the tyre product stewardship scheme.
Minister Hunt said, “The Department of Defence joins businesses and organisations—across the tyre supply chain— which are making a real difference in addressing the management of end-of-life tyres. The Government encourages all Defence contractors, suppliers, partners and others involved in the recycling, tyre retail and transport business to have their tyres recycled and to consider becoming part of the voluntary scheme and getting behind Tyre Stewardship Australia.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester MP, said joining Tyre Stewardship Australia with Defence’s newly-contracted National Waste Services Provider, Veolia, would ensure Defence’s continued commitment to best practice environmental management—an essential part of the long-term sustainability of Australian Defence Force capability and the Defence estate.
It is anticipated that Defence will ensure sustainable disposal of some 40,000 passenger tyre equivalents each year.
“Finalising the Defence action plan to support this commitment, and developing site-specific recycling best practice with Veolia during the next six months, will ensure Defence and its partners, contractors and suppliers continue to focus on this scheme,” Mr Chester said.
Tyre Stewardship Australia, a not-for-profit company funded by industry, is responsible for implementing and administering the tyre product stewardship scheme.
Each year, approximately 51 million passenger tyre equivalents reach their end-of-life in Australia. A large number of tyres are currently disposed of in a landfill, stockpiled, exported or illegally– dumped, with approximately 5 percent being recycled.
“This industry initiative aims to increase domestic tyre recycling, support new technologies, expand the market for tyre-derived products and reduce the number of end-of-life tyres ending up in a landfill or illegal dumps,” Mr Hunt said.
“I congratulate Darren Chester and Defence and thank them for their leadership.”
Veolia signed a six-year agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the Department of Defence (Defence) for total waste management in July 2014.
Veolia is also a member of Tyre Stewardship Australia, committing its expertise to the safe and environmentally sustainable recovery and treatment of discarded tyres.
For more information go to: www.environment.gov.au/protection/national-waste-policy/tyres