Tyre Stewardship Australia joins International Rubber Study Group (IRSG)

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has increased its global presence in the on-going campaign to find better uses for waste tyres.

In October TSA became an industry member of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), a vital source of all information relating to the rubber industry.

“IRSG is the sole multinational body dedicated to discussing the many issues that affect natural rubber and synthetic rubber production, usage, trade and recycling,” said Salvatore Pinizzotto, IRSG Secretary-General.

“We welcome Tyre Stewardship Australia into our Group and look forward to hearing their ideas and sharing our knowledge,” he said.

The Group has 36 member countries and over 100 members covering the whole natural and synthetic rubber value chain.

“This will ensure TSA is connecting directly with Government officials from these countries and enables us to work on a global scale to understand, manage and end unethical uses of waste tyre products,” said Lina Goodman, TSA CEO.

“It gives TSA a far greater insight into current global trends and how this affects what happens to Australia’s waste tyres,” Ms Goodman said.

TSA is an industry-led product stewardship program, established by leading tyre importers keen to find a solution for end of life tyres. TSA is a voluntary scheme, made up of representatives from across the tyre supply chain including tyre retailers, manufacturers, recyclers and collectors.

At the moment only 10% of the 56 million tyres used by Australians each year are being used locally as a value-added product, like horse racing tracks, local roads, residential concrete slabs.

TSA is already working hard to ensure better outcomes for old tyres. It has committed $5M to the establishment of local innovative projects.

We are also working with a global quality assurance organisation, Intertek, to verify what happens to Australian waste tyres that are currently exported overseas.

COAG recently announced plans to ban the export of certain waste products, including tyres.

“TSA’s membership of the IRSG will mean we can help State and Federal Governments gain a better understanding of the current foreign trade in waste tyres,” Ms Goodman said.

“This membership gives TSA and Australia better global connections, better information and will lead to better outcomes for waste tyres,” she said.