Inquiry into the Australian Tyre Industry - Submission

In November 2025, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science commenced an inquiry into the current state of the Australian tyre industry and the challenges and opportunities it faces within a circular economy.

Referred by the Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science, the inquiry is examining the management of end-of-life tyres and seeking to inform future government policy. A final report, including findings and recommendations, is expected to be tabled in Parliament in late 2026.

The inquiry has attracted significant industry engagement, with submissions received from 68 organisations spanning government, local councils, tyre manufacturers and retailers, collectors, recyclers, waste companies, construction and engineering firms, and industry associations. The Committee has also conducted public hearings and site visits across Australia to better understand tyre recovery, recycling, retreading and end-market development.

TSA Calls for a Mandatory National Scheme

TSA's submission to the inquiry argues that Australia's voluntary tyre stewardship scheme has reached its limits and can no longer deliver the level of circular economy outcomes required.

While the scheme has improved tyre recovery and helped stimulate investment in recycling markets, only 26% of end-of-life tyres were directed to circular outcomes through reuse and recycling in 2023–24. Increasing tyre imports, declining participation, free-riders and the continued burial of mining tyres continue to limit progress.

TSA's central recommendation is the transition to a mandatory national tyre product stewardship scheme covering all tyre importers and supply-chain participants. TSA contends that regulated stewardship would eliminate free-riders, improve compliance, increase recovery rates, stimulate domestic recycling and manufacturing, and provide greater certainty for long-term investment.

The submission also calls for stronger enforcement of tyre standards and waste export rules, mandatory procurement of crumb rubber in roads, reform of mining tyre burial practices, support for retreading, and greater national regulatory harmonisation.

Submissions

Tyre Stewardship Australia's submission can be downloaded here and supplementary documents below:

• 16.1 Supplementary to submission 16
• 16.2 Supplementary to submission 16
• 16.3 Supplementary to submission 16

Click here for the Official Recording of House of Representatives Committee Proceedings from the Australian Parliament.

All submissions received by the Committee can be found here.