TYRE RETAILERS MILKING DISPOSAL FEES
In a regulatory loophole described as “an absolute disgrace”, tyre retailers* are skimming millions of dollars paid by motorists to tyre companies through a $5 tyre disposal fee.
Under the scheme, Australian motorists have paid about $100 million in disposal fees in the belief their tyres are being responsibly recycled. However, some operators are taking the money and stockpiling the tyres.
William Amiot, co-founder of Brisbane tyre recycling company TyreStock – which won the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards for environmental sustainability on Friday – estimated Australia recycled just 3 million of the 22 million passenger-car tyres replaced every year.
“The rest are getting exported, getting stockpiled – whatever they do with them,” he said.
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