Military Vehicle Tyre Disposal: Processing Armoured and Heavy Tyres

By:     Kieran Donnelly

Expert review by:     Conor Murphy

Military vehicle tyre waste is a category that most waste management guidance ignores but defence infrastructure organisations deal with in substantial volumes. The British Army alone operates thousands of wheeled vehicles across a range of platforms, from lightweight utility vehicles to multi-axle heavy logistics trucks and armoured wheeled vehicles. Each generates tyre waste on a regular maintenance cycle, and managing that waste compliantly and cost-effectively requires understanding what makes military tyres different from their civilian counterparts.

This guide covers the main military tyre categories, what makes each challenging from a processing perspective, the compliance requirements that apply to defence waste management, and the practical options for disposal at different operation scales.

Military Tyre Categories and Their Distinguishing Features

The run-flat capability that defines many military tyre specifications is the most significant factor from a disposal and processing perspective. Understanding which run-flat system is fitted to a given tyre determines which processing approach is appropriate.

Self-Supporting Run-Flat Tyres: Reinforced Sidewall Construction

Self-supporting run-flat tyres (SSR tyres) achieve their run-flat capability through a reinforced sidewall construction that can carry the vehicle load without inflation pressure. The sidewall rubber is significantly thicker and stiffer than a standard tyre sidewall, with additional reinforcing plies built into the sidewall structure.

From a processing perspective, SSR tyres are harder to cut than standard tyres of equivalent size. The truck tyre sidewall cutter can process most SSR tyres in the light vehicle and medium truck size categories, though blade wear increases compared to processing standard-construction tyres of the same size. The additional cutting force required means that SSR tyres should be factored into blade replacement interval planning as a more demanding category than equivalent standard tyres.

SSR tyres produce tread and sidewall sections that are suitable for standard disposal routes once cut: energy recovery at cement kilns and industrial furnaces, or baling for the civil engineering market when the tyre sections meet the PAS 108 composition requirements. The MKII tyre baler handles sections from medium and light vehicle SSR tyres; larger categories require the truck tyre baler.

Insert-Based Run-Flat Systems: The More Complex Category

Armoured vehicles and protected patrol vehicles frequently use insert-based run-flat systems, where a solid polyurethane or foam support ring inside the tyre carries the vehicle load when the tyre loses pressure. The tyre casing itself is a standard-ish construction, but the insert adds significant weight, changes the cutting dynamics, and produces a mixed-material section that requires assessment before processing.

Polyurethane inserts in the weight range typically encountered in light tactical vehicle tyres (5 to 20 kg per insert) can be handled by the OTR tyre sidewall cutter once the insert type has been confirmed with Gradeall. Heavier inserts in larger armoured vehicles require case-by-case assessment. The polyurethane material in the insert is not rubber and does not share the same calorific value or processing characteristics as tyre rubber; this affects the disposal route for cut sections containing insert material.

Heavy Logistics Vehicle Tyres

The British Army and RAF operate significant fleets of heavy logistics vehicles in the 8×4, 8×6, and 8×8 configurations used for ammunition supply, fuel transport, and general freight. The tyres on these vehicles are commercial truck tyres in standard construction, typically in the 14.00R20, 16.00R20, or 365/85R20 size range used by military logistics fleets internationally.

These tyres are functionally equivalent to civilian heavy truck tyres and can be processed through the same routes without the complications of run-flat systems or inserts. The truck tyre sidewall cutter handles this size range, and the resulting tread sections can be baled or sent to energy recovery. For defence maintenance depots generating significant volumes of heavy logistics tyres on a regular cycle, on-site processing with a sidewall cutter and truck tyre baler is worth evaluating against the alternative of contracted collection.

Military Engineering Plant Tyres

The Royal Engineers and equivalent units operate a range of engineering plant including excavators, dump trucks, compactors, and specialist engineering vehicles. The tyres on this equipment are in the OTR category, with the same processing requirements as equivalent civilian construction plant tyres.

For military engineering plant tyres in the telehandler to wheeled excavator size range (60 to 400 kg), the OTR tyre sidewall cutter provides the on-site processing capability to reduce these tyres to manageable sections. Larger plant tyres in the dump truck category require the OTR tyre splitter for initial size reduction before sidewall cutting. The full OTR tyre cutting equipment range covers all the size categories found in military engineering plant.

Compliance Requirements for Military Tyre Waste

Military tyre waste at UK defence establishments is subject to the same UK waste regulations as civilian tyre waste. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 duty of care applies regardless of the origin of the waste. Specifically:

•        Waste tyres must be stored under conditions that minimise fire risk. MOD sites must meet the same Environment Agency guidance on tyre storage quantities and conditions as civilian sites.

•        All waste tyre movements off-site must be carried out by registered waste carriers. The carrier must be registered with the Environment Agency regardless of whether they are operating under a MOD contract.

•        Waste transfer notes are required for all off-site movements and must be retained for two years.

•        On-site processing at MOD establishments may require environmental permits or registered exemptions. These requirements apply to MOD sites under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016.

Some categories of military tyre waste, particularly tyres from vehicles operated in deployed or operational contexts, may have additional considerations under MOD waste management policy. Contamination with fuel, chemicals, or other substances encountered in operational environments creates additional classification questions that go beyond standard tyre waste management. MOD Defence Infrastructure Organisation guidance should be consulted for waste from operational vehicles.

Processing at Defence Maintenance Depots

The most significant opportunity for improving military tyre waste management is at the main vehicle maintenance depots, where tyre changes are carried out in volume on a planned maintenance schedule. A vehicle maintenance depot carrying out scheduled maintenance on a large fleet generates a predictable and regular volume of waste tyres that is well-suited to on-site processing.

For a depot maintaining a mixed fleet of light vehicles, medium trucks, and some plant, a sidewall cutter covering the light vehicle and truck categories, combined with a baler, handles the majority of the volume. OTR equipment can be added for the plant category if volumes justify it. The processed output, bales and tyre sections, then leaves the depot through standard licensed waste routes with the same waste transfer note documentation as any other waste stream.

Contact Gradeall International to discuss the equipment specification that suits the tyre types and volumes at a specific depot.

Central Versus Distributed Processing for Multi-Site Operations

Defence organisations with multiple sites face a choice between centralised processing at a main depot and distributed processing at each site. Centralised processing at a single well-equipped facility maximises equipment utilisation and simplifies waste management logistics, but it requires transport of whole tyres from distributed sites to the central facility. Distributed processing keeps the tyres on the site where they are generated but requires replicating equipment at each location.

For most defence organisations, a hybrid approach works best: sidewall cutting equipment at larger sites that generate substantial tyre volumes, contracted collection for smaller sites that generate tyres infrequently. The threshold at which on-site equipment becomes more economic than contracted collection depends on the transport distance to the nearest licensed processor and the local collection contractor pricing.

Conor Murphy, Director of Gradeall International

“Military tyre waste is managed very inconsistently across the defence estate. Some depots have excellent arrangements; others are stockpiling tyres with no clear disposal route. The run-flat systems on tactical vehicles are the main complication, but for most of the fleet, including heavy logistics and plant, the processing routes are exactly the same as civilian equivalents. Getting the equipment specification right for the specific tyre types on site is the starting point.”

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