11 February 2022
Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) and Keep Victoria Beautiful (KVB) are joining forces to help the Litter Enforcement Officer Network (LEON) tackle illegal dumping and stockpiling of waste tyres in local environments.
Each year, in Victoria alone, approximately 120,000 tonnes of tyres reach end of life. With the recent export ban on whole and baled tyres, there are concerns we may see increased dumping of tyres in parks, creeks, leased factories or on private land, as the tyre industry adjusts to changes in the market and increased cost pressures exacerbated by COVID.
In making the announcement today, TSA CEO, Lina Goodman said: “Litter enforcement officers are on the ground, in every community, every day working against illegal waste dumping in Victoria; and they’ve told us that tyre stockpiling is becoming a challenging issue.”
“We want to support the efforts of the Litter Enforcement Officer Network by increasing the exchange of intelligence between our organisations, so litter enforcement officers are well-equipped to raise awareness of the issue in their local area.”
KVB Acting Executive Officer, Samuel Lawson supports the partnership: “As leaders in illegal waste management, Keep Victoria Beautiful welcomes further collaboration with Tyre Stewardship Australia through the Litter Enforcement Officer Network.
“This partnership will reduce illegal waste and boost sustainable outcomes for end of life tyres by connecting TSA with hundreds of officers working on the ground, plus build relationships with our state regulatory partners to strengthen intelligence sharing.
“We look forward to Keeping Victoria Beautiful and anticipate some fantastic achievements through this partnership.”
Read full media release attached for more information.