Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 662: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views in respect of the implementation of the waste tyre regulations; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of the independent tyre wholesalers regarding these measures; and if he will intervene to address those concerns. [14559/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Information on tyre flows and the management of waste tyres has long been regarded as inadequate. In order to tackle this deficit and put in place a proper regulatory framework, I made the Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2007. These Regulations impose obligations on persons who supply tyres to the Irish market, whether as producers (e.g. manufacturers, importers including wholesalers, traders and retailers who source tyres outside the State), suppliers (e.g. wholesalers, traders and retailers who source tyres exclusively within the State) and on the collectors of waste tyres.

The Regulations were introduced following protracted negotiations with economic stakeholders, including wholesalers, under the auspices of the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) and included discussions with other stakeholders including farming organisations. The Regulations were published in draft in March 2007 for public consultation. This resulted in the development of a Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI). The Regulations facilitate the comparison of quantities of waste tyres arising with the amounts placed on the market and tracking the movement of waste tyres from the time they are discarded until they are either reused or processed for recycling.

As is the normal practice with PRIs, these Regulations place a number of obligations on economic stakeholders who have the option of either self complying or participating in an approved industry compliance scheme which takes on the administrative burden associated with self compliance.

I am aware that some economic stakeholders have concerns with the implementation of the Regulations. This is normal in the early stages of any PRI and my Department is, available to meet economic stakeholders who have such concerns. Nevertheless, all economic stakeholders are expected to comply with the Regulations and I have advised the tyre industry that enforcement, which is the function of local authorities, will be applied rigorously.