Tyre Disposal UK: Costs, Legal Requirements, and Options for Businesses

Updated on: 3rd March 2026 By:

Why Tyre Disposal Is a Regulated and Costly Business Problem

Used tyres cannot simply be thrown away. In the UK, tyre disposal is regulated under waste management legislation that classifies used tyres as a specific waste stream with restrictions on how they may be stored, transported, and disposed of. Businesses generating significant quantities of used tyres, including tyre fitters, vehicle fleet operators, agricultural businesses, quarries, and mining operations, face both a legal compliance obligation and a material cost in managing this waste stream.

The cost and compliance burden falls heavily on high-volume tyre generators. A tyre retailer fitting several hundred car tyres per week accumulates a substantial volume of waste tyres that need to be stored safely, collected by a licensed waste carrier, and processed through an approved disposal route. Without a systematic approach to managing this, collection costs escalate, storage becomes a fire safety and regulatory risk, and the risk of accidental or deliberate non-compliance grows.

Understanding the legal framework, the realistic costs, and the equipment options that reduce both is the starting point for any business managing significant tyre volumes. For businesses generating tyres at sufficient scale, on-site processing equipment such as tyre balers and sidewall cutters from Gradeall International can transform the economics of tyre disposal from a recurring cost burden into a manageable, and in some cases revenue-generating, operation.

Gradeall International, based in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, manufactures tyre processing equipment for operations across the UK, Ireland, and over 100 countries worldwide. The MKII tyre baler, truck tyre sidewall cutter, and the full tyre recycling equipment range address the processing requirements of businesses at every scale of tyre generation.

The Legal Framework for Tyre Disposal in the UK

The waste duty of care. Every business that produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats, or disposes of controlled waste, including used tyres, is subject to the duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Duty of Care Regulations. The practical requirements are: store waste safely and securely to prevent escape; transfer waste only to an authorised person (licensed waste carrier); describe the waste accurately on a waste transfer note; and keep records of transfers for at least two years.

A tyre retailer handing over used tyres to a collection company must confirm that the collection company holds a valid waste carrier licence from the Environment Agency (in England), SEPA (in Scotland), NRW (in Wales), or NIEA (in Northern Ireland). Failure to verify the collector’s licence, or failure to maintain waste transfer documentation, constitutes a breach of the duty of care regardless of what subsequently happens to the tyres.

Landfill ban on tyres. Whole tyres have been banned from landfill in the UK since 2003, and shredded tyres since 2006. This ban means that tyres cannot legally go to landfill regardless of their condition. Any disposal route that terminates in landfill is non-compliant. This restriction is why tyre recycling, energy recovery, and civil engineering applications have developed as the primary end-of-life routes for used tyres in the UK.

Fly-tipping legislation. Illegal dumping of tyres is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Penalties for fly-tipping include unlimited fines and, for repeat offenders, custodial sentences. Both the person who dumps tyres and the business whose waste they are can face prosecution if proper duty of care documentation cannot demonstrate that the tyres were transferred to an authorised carrier. A business that hands tyres to an unauthorised collector (sometimes called “man with a van” operations offering cheap tyre removal) faces prosecution if those tyres subsequently appear at a fly-tipping site.

Storage regulations. Stored waste tyres are subject to fire safety requirements. A large external tyre stockpile represents a significant fire risk; tyre fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish and generate toxic smoke. The Environment Agency’s guidance on tyre storage recommends limiting stockpile size, maintaining fire breaks between bays, and ensuring adequate access for emergency vehicles. On-site processing equipment that reduces the volume of stored tyres at any given time directly reduces the fire risk associated with tyre storage.

What Tyre Disposal Currently Costs UK Businesses

Tyre disposal costs vary significantly depending on tyre type, volume, location, and the disposal route used. The following ranges reflect typical UK market conditions.

Car tyres (passenger vehicle). Small-volume disposal through a tyre recycling contractor: £1.50 to £3.00 per tyre. High-volume regular collection contracts: £0.80 to £1.80 per tyre. The price range reflects volume discounting and regional collection market competition.

Van and light commercial tyres. Typically £2.00 to £4.00 per tyre for small volumes, £1.20 to £2.50 per tyre on contract terms.

Truck and HGV tyres. Significantly larger and heavier than car tyres, collection costs range from £4.00 to £10.00 per tyre. Retreading is a viable route for tyres in good structural condition, potentially generating a credit rather than a cost.

Agricultural and OTR tyres. Large agricultural, earthmover, and OTR (off-the-road) tyres present significant disposal challenges due to their size and weight. Collection and disposal costs of £20 to £150 per tyre or more are common for large OTR sizes. These tyres often require specialist sidewall cutting or splitting before they can be processed by standard tyre recycling facilities.

Collection frequency and logistics costs. Beyond the per-tyre cost, businesses managing tyres must factor in the cost of appropriate storage containers or bays, the administrative overhead of maintaining duty of care documentation, and the operational time spent managing tyre storage and collection logistics.

How Tyre Volume Determines the Right Disposal Strategy

The appropriate tyre disposal strategy depends fundamentally on the volume of tyres being generated.

Low-volume generators (a few tyres per week): Standard pay-per-tyre collection from a licensed tyre recycling contractor is the appropriate route. The volume doesn’t justify capital equipment investment. Ensure the contractor is licensed, issue waste transfer notes for each collection, and store tyres safely between collections.

Medium-volume generators (tens to hundreds of tyres per week): At this scale, the cumulative collection cost justifies investigating equipment options. A tyre baler that converts loose tyres into dense, PAS 108-compliant bales for civil engineering use changes the economics from a per-tyre disposal cost to a potential revenue stream. The MKII tyre baler produces up to six PAS 108-compliant bales per hour and is designed for medium to high-volume tyre processing operations.

High-volume generators (hundreds to thousands of tyres per week): Tyre retailers, fleet operators, and tyre recycling contractors at this volume need a complete tyre processing system. Sidewall cutting to reduce tyre volume before baling, rim separation to recover steel wheels, and baling for civil engineering applications or shredding for crumb rubber production are all viable processing approaches depending on the market outlets available.

On-Site Processing: How Equipment Changes the Economics

For medium to high-volume tyre generators, on-site processing equipment changes the disposal equation from a cost-per-tyre model to a processing cost model with potential revenue from the processed output.

A tyre baler producing PAS 108-compliant bales sells those bales to civil engineering contractors who use them for road construction, embankment fill, retaining walls, drainage systems, and coastal protection. PAS 108 is the British Standard for tyre bales used in civil engineering; bales that meet this standard have established end markets and can command prices that offset or exceed the baling processing cost.

The MKII tyre baler from Gradeall produces bales containing approximately 100 passenger car tyres, compressed to a density that meets PAS 108 structural requirements. At the current market for PAS 108 bales (which varies by region and project availability), a tyre processing operation can generate meaningful revenue from what was previously a pure disposal cost.

For truck and OTR tyres that are too large for direct baling, sidewall cutting reduces their size before processing. Gradeall’s truck tyre sidewall cutter removes the sidewalls from truck tyres, making the remaining tread bands more compact and easier to process through subsequent stages. The OTR tyre sidewall cutter handles the largest earthmover and mining tyres.

Working with Licensed Tyre Recycling Contractors

For businesses that don’t have the volume to justify on-site processing, working with a licensed tyre recycling contractor remains the appropriate route. Selecting the right contractor involves:

Verifying the waste carrier licence. Check the contractor’s licence on the public register maintained by the relevant environmental regulator. The licence must be current and must cover the transport of waste tyres.

Confirming the end destination. Ask the contractor where the tyres go and confirm that the end destination is an approved tyre recycling or recovery facility. A contractor who cannot or will not provide this information should not be used.

Maintaining documentation. Require a signed waste transfer note for every collection, including a description of the waste (quantity and tyre type), the contractor’s licence number, the collection date, and the destination facility. File these for a minimum of two years.

Reviewing contracts annually. The per-tyre collection market is competitive. Annual review of your collection contract against market rates, including approaches to alternative licensed collectors, typically produces better terms than allowing contracts to roll automatically.

“The businesses that manage tyre disposal most effectively are the ones that understand the cost structure and the options,” says Conor Murphy, Director of Gradeall International. “At low volumes, a good licensed contractor relationship is all you need. At higher volumes, on-site processing equipment changes the whole economics. The question is always whether your volume justifies the investment, and the answer is often yes sooner than people expect.”

Contact Gradeall International for guidance on tyre processing equipment and to discuss whether your tyre volumes justify on-site processing investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I burn used tyres on my own land?

No. Burning tyres is illegal in the UK under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and associated waste regulations. Tyre fires produce toxic emissions including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Prosecution for burning tyres can result in significant fines and criminal records.

What documentation do I need for tyre disposal?

A waste transfer note must be issued for each transfer of waste tyres to a collector. The note must describe the waste (number and type of tyres), identify both parties with their addresses, include the collector’s waste carrier licence number, and be signed by both parties. Keep copies for at least two years.

Are agricultural tyres treated differently from car tyres in UK waste law?

Agricultural waste tyres on agricultural land are subject to specific rules under the agricultural waste exemptions framework. Confirm the applicable regulations and exemptions with the Environment Agency, SEPA, NRW, or NIEA depending on your jurisdiction before disposing of agricultural tyres.

How do I find a licensed tyre waste collector?

Search the public waste carrier register maintained by the Environment Agency (for England), SEPA (Scotland), NRW (Wales), or NIEA (Northern Ireland). Established tyre recycling associations including the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association and Tyre Recovery Association maintain directories of licensed operators.

Does Gradeall provide tyre processing equipment for businesses at all scales?

Gradeall’s tyre processing range covers operations from mid-volume tyre retailers through to large-scale tyre recycling processors. Contact Gradeall International to discuss whether your tyre volumes and available processing space justify on-site equipment investment.