Following an initial false start, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has gazetted the draft Integrated Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IIWTMP) of the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (Redisa) for further public comment.

The comment period would be open for 30 days, from April 17.

The plan was approved in November, but was withdrawn in January, following concerns expressed by industry members regarding the consultation process.

Redisa advertised the availability of their plan and called for comments between January and February 2012. These comments were considered and compiled into a document that was submitted, along with the plan, to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on February 10.

The department indicated that the reworked IIWTMP was substantially similar to the version approved in November. However, clarifications and procedural amendments were included in line with suggestions by tyre manufacturers and importers.

The DEA stated that an industry waste tyre management plan would minimise the negative environmental impact of waste tyres, as well as ensure resource conservation.

The objective was to ensure that the management of waste tyres would be focused on avoidance of waste, as well as reuse, recycling and recovery of energy. Disposal should be viewed, the department said, as a last resort.

Products that can be derived from recycling tyres include rubber, oil, bricks and tiles.

“This will curb the well-known impacts of waste tyre stockpiles, such as human health risks associated with mosquito and vermin breeding and air pollution impacts from burning of tyres,” the department said.

Further, this approach should extend the life span of landfill sites, which was an important factor in the current age where land contestation was high and land for development of landfill sites was scarce.

Meanwhile, Redisa welcomed public participation, stating that it would be South Africans who would ultimately benefit from the implementation of the plan.
 

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