TRACS on the Irish tyre industry PRI review

TRACS (the Tyre Recovery Activity Compliance Scheme) has commented on the review of the PRI (Producer Responsibility Initiative) model, proposed for the Irish tyre industry, which was published at the end of 2013. The report has recommended changing the scope of the current self compliance model to a centralised electronic PRI, which would be operated by a single scheme such as TRACS.

TRACS has welcomed the Department’s conclusion that there should only be one scheme and is very supportive of the idea that the system needs to operate on an all island basis, so as not to disadvantage operators in the Republic of Ireland.

However, TRACS says that it also believes that the industry is currently well placed to meet the requirements of the Waste Management Regulations 2007, without the adoption of a new and full PRI process.

“There is a general consensus in the industry sector, that a full PRI would only work on an all-island basis, both North and South”, Fiacra Quinn, director of TRACS told TyreTrade.ie.

“With regard to a robust monitoring and audit system, we have already built a very solid foundation in these processes, one on which we believe the interests of all invested bodies are best served.”

“The report has several positive recommendations”, says Mr. Quinn. “The level of illegal storage of waste tyres has decreased overall in Ireland and storage guidance for used and waste tyres at suppliers’ outlets would help to reduce this even more. Improvement in the identification of non-compliant producers, targeted enforcement actions carried out by local authorities and setting penalties at an appropriate level are all practical propositions.

In addition, sustained communication to make economic operators aware of their obligations, e.g. the benefits of being compliant and the risks associated with the lack of compliance, has been at the forefront of TRACS awareness campaigns over several years now.  With communications covering advertising campaigns, direct marketing, public relations and proposed social media, more people will have read about TRACS than will see Garth Brooks in 2014.”