The Problem
1/3
The OTR tyre waste stream represents one third of end-of-life tyres produced in Australia each year.
(inclusive of passenger and truck tyres)
56 Million
Approximately 56 million tyres (equivalent passenger units, or EPUs) are discarded in Australia each year, and, of that, the OTR wastage represents a total mass of 126,000 tonnes.
17% Tyre Waste
Given that Western Australia is a mining intensive state, it has amongst the highest proportion of OTR tyre waste in Australia at 17% with around 9.5 million EPUs in the Pilbara Region alone.
40,000t
Based on discussions with industry sources, Kariyarra Tyrecycle estimates that the OTR burden for the Pilbara Region alone is around 40,000 tonnes per annum.
Kariyarra Tyrecycle is committed to working together to overcome a concerning issue to the Traditional Owners and broader community alike.
The issue - previously unavoidable - relates to the disposal of EOL OTR tyres in the Pilbara region.
In doing so, not only does this opportunity address a significant environmental problem for the region, but it will also generate jobs and training opportunities for the Kariyarra People of Port Hedland, along with an income stream that will enable them to underpin the charitable functions of the Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation.
The mining industry generates more than 126,000 tonnes of waste rubber per annum from EOL OTR tyres.
Currently, approximately 96% of this waste stream is managed “in-pit” (buried).
The current lack of viable recycling solutions for heavy-duty rubber waste streams is a major impediment for the mining industry with respect to waste avoidance.
An increased focus on corporate social responsibility amongst mining companies, along with a recent political focus on waste avoidance by the Federal Government means that current disposal practices are unsustainable.
Unfortunately, only a small fraction of used OTR tyres - approximately 4% - are recovered for recycling, due to a lack of viable recycling options available to mining companies. The most commonly adopted practice is to manage the waste ‘in-pit’, essentially referring to the burial of the waste rubber.
Currently, there are limited appropriate regional solutions to recycle the heavy-duty rubber waste that originates from OTR mine haul truck tyres. Whilst much of the challenge associated with recycling this waste stream is based around deconstructing and processing rubber of this scale and durability, the prohibitive factor has been that it has not been economically feasible to transport the processed material over long distances to Fremantle Harbour for export.
The OTR waste stream represents
one third of end-of-life tyres produced in Australia each year.
