Probe into dumping of tyres

GOVERNMENT inspectors are to crack down on illegal tyre dumping and investigate garage owners who are charging a €2 “environmental levy” to dispose of the waste.

Environment Minister Dick Roche has written to the Irish Tyre Industry Association informing it that a team of inspectors will be sent from all local authorities to check that their members are not breaking the law.

This comes after the discovery of illegally dumped old tyres, tubes and large tractor wheel rims near the border in Co Monaghan yesterday.

The letter sent from the Department of the Environment to the Irish Tyre Industry Association’s chief executive Jack Farrell states: “The minister is concerned at inappropriate practices that have emerged in relation to waste tyres such as unauthorised burning, uncontrolled disposal or the formation of indiscriminate stockpiles.”

These practices pose environmental and health hazards and infringe waste and other environmental legislation, he said.

The minister has asked local authorities to check what all their tyre outlets are doing with tyres returned by customers.

“There are two or three gangs that the gardaí know about who are dumping these tyres illegally but the problem is to catch them in the act,” the minister’s spokesman said.

The aim of the inspection is to get all garages and tyre outlets to recycle tyres if possible or dispose of them through waste companies.

Inspectors will also be checking if garages and tyre outlets are charging a €2 “environmental levy” for taking back old tyres. It is misleading to refer to this fee as an “environmental levy” because the public may be given the impression that it is a Government levy and that the treatment of waste tyres is quality approved, the minister’s spokesman said.