India's Tyre Industry at a Crossroads

The tyre industry in India is currently facing a significant environmental and safety challenge due to the increasing import of waste or scrap tyres. According to recent data from the ministry of commerce, the import of these tyres has surged more than fivefold since FY21, escalating from 2.64 lakh metric tonnes (MT) to a staggering 13.98 lakh MT in FY24. This alarming increase has prompted the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) to call for immediate government action to ban the import of waste/scrap tyres into the country.

The Environmental and Safety Risks

Arnab Banerjee, chairman of ATMA, emphasizes that the unchecked import of waste/scrap tyres not only contradicts the objectives of the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Regulation on waste tyres, which was implemented in July 2022, but also places an unnecessary burden on India's waste management infrastructure. The improper disposal of these tyres can lead to severe pollution, fire hazards, and health risks, undermining India's commitment to sustainable development.

A Call to Action

India, being one of the world's largest tyre manufacturers with an annual production of over 200 million tyres, has sufficient domestic capacity for recycling and disposing of end-of-life tyres (ELT). Therefore, the import of waste/scrap tyres is deemed both unnecessary and counterproductive. Banerjee urges, "We need to prevent India from becoming a dumping ground for waste tyres," highlighting the importance of bolstering the domestic recycling industry and advancing towards a more sustainable future.