Acceptable method for fork lift tyre disposal

The Fork Lift Truck Association and the Industrial Tyre Association are announcing that Watts Industrial Tyres has cracked the problem of how to dispose of solid tyres from fork lift trucks.

Last year (2003), the Fork Lift Truck Association and the Industrial Tyre Association warned of a crisis looming for the industry: the imposition of an EU directive which would place a ban on sending whole tyres to landfill sites.

With no practical means of shredding the solid tyres used on so many fork trucks, the cost of legal disposal seemed set to rocket.

The Associations are now reporting that Watts Industrial Tyres, a member of both the ITA and the FLTA, has made significant progress in tackling the problem.

"A number of waste disposal companies have machines designed for reducing pneumatic tyres to crumb, which can be recycled in a number of ways, but these machines were not capable of dealing with solid tyres," says Phil Perry, Watts' director and general manager.

"One possibility considered was a fragmenting machine capable of chewing up a Transit van - but it was defeated by these tyres!" With a very tight deadline set by the Environment Agency, the search was becoming increasingly urgent.

Finally, Watts found three 'project partners' with machinery that could be adapted to fragment the tyres into a mulch for gardening or into crumb suitable for use in making surfaces for indoor equestrian arenas, sports pitches, playgrounds and other flooring.

In addition, Watts has recently bought into a company in Sri Lanka which can re-manufacture selected used tyres into a reprocessed tyre called the Quantum.

This is said to look and work just like a new solid tyre.

Reacting to these developments, FLTA chief executive David Ellison says: "It looks like we will have long-term, cost-effective, environmentally sound solutions after all.

"In the meantime, we must continue to stress that waste disposal is a responsibility to be shared by the whole industry.

"We ask for continuing co-operation from all quarters as the new disposal procedures are implemented".

He adds: "We would also remind everyone that the obligation to dispose of tyres legally applies to the users of the tyres, as well as those who make and sell them.

"An audit trail exists for every tyre, allowing the authorities to check on its fate, and unlimited fines await those convicted of breaking the law".

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