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

29.9 Complementary Policies
A number of complementary policies have been used in conjunction with this policy.
The majority focus on disposal outcomes with the most common policy being a landfill
ban. In some cases this is a complete ban on all tyres, however, in some instances it
may only apply to complete tyres. More generally, policies to increase the costs of
disposal are likely to enhance the likelihood of tyres not being disposed of, though the
problem of storage may still remain.
Another complimentary policy sometimes utilised is a deposit-refund scheme.
29.10 Effect of the Policy on Pricing of Resources / Services
One effect of the policy is to make retreated tyres more economically viable than new
tyres. To the extent that these are less environmentally damaging than new tyres,
then the pricing may shift pricing towards a more efficient outcome, though no
example exists of a levy being set on the basis of estimated externalities.
The measure may encourage the reuse and recycling of waste tyres. However, there
has been rather less examination of the relative merits of landfilling and incinerating
waste tyres. It is not obvious that incineration of tyres would be justified on the basis
of the balance of costs and benefits.
29.11 Evasion and Enforcement
Unknown – no evidence was uncovered or made available.
29.12 Lessons Learned
It appears from our research that many of the schemes that started out as simple
product charges have now converted into enhanced producer responsibility schemes.
The main reasoning for this appears to be a need for industry to be involved in the
recycling of waste tyres. In essence, industry’s involvement is appropriate if “proper
treatment” of collected material is to take place. The Texas example provides one
instance where the success of the measure in collecting tyres was compromised by
the absence of appropriate treatment facilities.
29.13 Prerequisites for Introduction
In principle, the imposition of levies presumes the political inclination to implement
these. The collection of levies requires an authority to administer the levy, whilst
some body with powers of inspection is required to ensure that the levy is being
implemented as planned.
In the schemes where targets are applied, data collection is required, whilst some
sanction might be applicable for non compliance.
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