UK Tyres Intended for Recycling Sent to Hazardous Indian Pyrolysis Plants

The BBC has uncovered that millions of tyres sent from the UK to India for recycling are instead incinerated in unregulated facilities, leading to serious environmental and health risks. Despite existing regulations, this practice persists, with many companies exporting waste tyres under false pretenses. Advocacy for stricter controls and reclassification of tyres as hazardous waste is gaining momentum.

Recent investigations by the BBC have revealed that millions of tyres exported from the UK to India for recycling are instead being incinerated in makeshift furnaces, resulting in severe health hazards and environmental harm. An industry insider, Elliot Mason, stated, “I do not imagine there is anybody in the industry that does not know it is happening.” The trade of waste tyres into India has become an established black market practice, with governmental awareness of the situation.

The investigation underscores the dire consequences of improper waste management in the UK, particularly with the export of tyres intended for recycling. The findings highlight the urgent need for reforms in waste disposal policies and investor accountability, especially as these practices endanger public health and environmental integrity in both the UK and India. Advocacy groups demand that tyres be classified as hazardous waste to mitigate these issues effectively.

Original Source: www.bbc.com