International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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� Lubricating oil;
� Antifreeze; and
� Organic solvents
The Rhode Island Division of Taxation is also responsible for the administration of the
revenues accrued. Unlike most other schemes in the USA, there is no involvement
from the State Environmental Agency (Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management) in the management of the fund. The scheme is also used in
conjunction with a deposit-refund scheme to ensure the maximum capture of waste
tyres.
29.3.2 British Columbia - FIRST
The Financial Incentives for Recycling Scrap Tires (FIRST) Programme was first set up
as a simple product levy scheme but has now evolved into an enhanced producer
responsibility scheme. Initiated in 1991, the programme was managed by the
Ministry of Environment. The Ministry were also responsible for the funding of
recycling initiatives from the revenue accrued from the programme. The provincial
government was responsible for the overall compliance and enforcement of the
programme.
In 2007, the programme changed hands, and has now become an enhanced
producer responsibility scheme. It was believed that the revenue accrued from the tax
was not successfully directed to meet the programme’s aims, which were combating
the large scale storage of waste tyres and assisting with the recycling of waste tyres.
The programme is now operated by ‘Tire Stewardship British Columbia’ - a not-forprofit
organisation operated by the tyre industry. Key changes to the programme
include a change in the magnitude of the charge - from $3 to $4 per tyre for most
customers - and the utilisation of all of the revenue raised by the scheme as directed
by the organisation itself.
29.3.3 Texas – Waste Tire Recycling Fund
Although no longer functioning, Texas operated a product charge on new tyres from
1992-1997. The charge was used in conjunction with a ban on landfilling waste tyres.
The formation of the programme, the ‘Waste Tire Recycling Fund’, was the
responsibility of the State Legislature. The State Legislature was also responsible for
overseeing the scheme and ultimately made the decision to close the programme.
Whilst operational, the day-to-day management of the fund was undertaken by the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) – the State Environmental
Agency. TCEQ also ensured that retailers of tyres paid in to the fund.
The fund closed in 1997 as the programme was deemed unsuccessful. Although
closing over 700 illegal tyre storage sites and helping develop the recycling industry,
the scheme left behind a large stockpile of shredded tyres as an emerging recycling
industry was unable to process all of the tyres.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes