Kāpiti Coast District Council is pleased to announce the transfer stations in Otaihanga and Ōtaki now accept end-of-life tyres, free of charge, for recycling and repurposing.

Up to five tyres can be accepted at a time as long as they are clean, debris-free, and without rims.

Tyres accepted for recycling include pneumatic (air-filled) and solid tyres for use on motorised vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, aircraft, trailers, and off-road vehicles.

Waste minimisation manager Robbie Stillwell says the Tyrewise recycling scheme aligns with Council’s ongoing commitment to reduce waste in the district.

“Tyres take up a lot of space in our landfill, so having a dedicated nationwide scheme is fantastic news for both the environment and our efforts to divert waste from landfills,” says Mr Stillwell.

“A dedicated tyre recycling scheme also creates a truly circular economy, as some of the recycled tyres will be repurposed into playground matting and concrete foundations.”

Tyrewise, the country’s first regulated product stewardship programme, will arrange for the tyres to be collected from the two transfer stations and repurposed. The scheme is funded by fees collected by the Ministry for the Environment on all tyres imported into the country.

Less than half of the millions of tyres Kiwis use every year are recycled or repurposed. The rest end up stockpiled, dumped, or in landfill.

“By providing a free drop-off service for used tyres, we’re also hoping to reduce the number of tyres dumped in and along our waterways and reserves, which can threaten fragile ecosystems,” says Mr Stillwell.

“Having a convenient and free way to recycle end-of-life tyres is a win-win situation for everyone.”

As of 22 January, Tyrewise had collected 1,506,312 end-of-life tyres from across the country.

Kāpiti Coast District Council is working with other councils in the region to reduce the total amount of material sent for final disposal to landfill by 30% by 2030.

For more information about how the tyre recycling scheme works see https://www.tyrewise.co.nz/about-tyrewise/

© Scoop Media