Tyre Recycling Site Planning: Layout, Storage, and Fire Safety Design

Updated on: 4th March 2026 By:

Site planning for a tyre recycling operation is one of the most consequential decisions you make before starting. The layout you choose determines operational efficiency, safety performance, permit compliance, and, in the event of a fire, how quickly it spreads and how easily it is controlled. Getting it right from the outset is significantly cheaper and less disruptive than retrofitting changes after the site is operational.

This article covers the key principles of tyre recycling site layout, the storage format decisions that affect both operations and fire safety, and the fire protection measures that environmental permit conditions typically require. It draws on the operational experience of Gradeall International, which has supplied tyre processing equipment to operations in over 100 countries across a range of site types and regulatory frameworks.

Site Selection: What You Need Before You Start

The site for a tyre recycling operation needs to satisfy several requirements simultaneously: planning permission for the proposed use (industrial waste management), environmental permit conditions (hard standing, drainage, buffer zones), fire service access (adequate road width, turning areas, hydrant proximity), and practical operational requirements (vehicle access for collection and bale delivery, equipment installation space, staff welfare facilities).

Hard standing is non-negotiable. The environment regulator requires that tyre storage areas are on impermeable surfaces that prevent leachate from reaching the ground. Concrete or asphalt hard standing with controlled drainage to a silt trap or interceptor is the standard requirement. The hard standing must be maintained in good condition; cracked or damaged hard standing is a permit compliance issue.

Buffer zones between tyre storage areas and site boundaries (fences, neighbouring properties) are a standard permit condition. Minimum buffer distances are specified in Environment Agency guidance and vary by site type and storage volume. These zones must be kept clear of combustible materials.

Storage Format: Loose vs Baled Tyres

How you store tyres has a larger impact on site layout, permit conditions, and fire risk than almost any other operational decision. Loose tyre storage requires more space per tyre, creates higher fire risk (faster fire spread, greater oxygen availability), and typically triggers more onerous permit conditions than baled storage.

Baled storage is the preferred format for most tyre recycling sites because bales are stackable (reducing footprint), structurally stable when stacked correctly, and present a lower fire spread risk than loose tyre stacks. Producing bales from the outset, rather than accumulating loose tyres for later processing, is better for site management on every dimension. The Gradeall MKII Tyre Baler should ideally be positioned at or near the tyre acceptance point so tyres are baled as they arrive rather than stored loose and processed later.

Storage Format	Space per Tonne	Fire Spread Risk	Permit Implications	Stacking Ability
Loose (unprocessed)	High	High (open structure)	Stricter conditions	Limited; unstable
Baled (car tyres)	Low	Moderate (dense bale limits O2)	Less onerous	Good; stable stacking
Shredded	Medium	Medium-high (small surface area)	Varies by permit	Poor; requires containers

Processing Area Layout

The processing area is where tyres move from acceptance to baling, and then from baling to bale storage. The layout should follow the material flow: tyres arrive by collection vehicle, are unloaded to a reception area, fed to the baler (via a conveyor if volume justifies it), and bales are ejected to the bale storage area.

Separation of incoming (loose) tyre areas from outgoing (baled) storage areas is good practice operationally and for fire safety. A fire in the loose reception area should not be able to spread directly to finished bale storage, which represents saleable product and is potentially export-ready.

For higher-throughput operations where truck tyres are processed alongside car tyres, the truck tyre sidewall cutter should be positioned immediately upstream of the baler in the processing sequence. Conveyor systems linking the cutter output to the baler input reduce manual handling and improve processing line throughput.

Fire Safety Design

Fire safety at tyre recycling sites is governed by environmental permit conditions, fire safety regulations, and Environment Agency guidance (notably the technical guidance documents on tyre storage). The key measures include fire detection systems, fire suppression capacity, site security, hot work procedures, and staff training.

Automatic fire detection covering storage areas enables early warning before a fire becomes uncontrollable. CCTV covering the site perimeter and storage areas deters arson, which is the most common cause of tyre storage fires. Hot work controls (permits to work for welding, cutting, and grinding) prevent accidental ignition from maintenance activities.

“Fire safety planning should start at the site design stage, not after the permit is issued,” says Conor Murphy, Director of Gradeall International. “The layout decisions that are easiest to make at the start, such as separation distances and bale storage configuration, are the most difficult to change once equipment is installed and operations are running.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Environment Agency’s requirements for tyre storage site drainage?

Environment Agency guidance requires that tyre storage areas are on impermeable hard standing with controlled drainage that prevents surface water contaminated by a tyre fire event (fire water runoff) from entering controlled waters. This typically means a drainage system with a normally closed valve that can be shut during a fire event to contain the contaminated water on site, combined with sufficient sump or lagoon capacity to hold the estimated fire water volume. The specific capacity requirements are calculated based on the maximum fire water discharge from the site.

How high can tyre bale stacks be stored?

Stack height for tyre bales is typically limited by permit conditions and structural stability. Environment Agency guidance and local fire service requirements commonly limit storage stack heights to 3 to 5 metres. The structural stability of the bale stack depends on bale dimensions, bale weight, and the ground surface. Consult your permit conditions and take structural advice if you plan to stack above 3 metres. Higher stacks require more robust fire service access around the perimeter of the storage area.

Does a tyre recycling site need planning permission?

Yes. Processing tyre waste is a change of use that requires planning permission from the local planning authority. The planning application is separate from the environmental permit application, though both are required before operations can start. Some sites benefit from existing industrial planning permissions that cover waste management uses; check with the local planning authority whether your proposed use falls within the existing consent before making a new application. Planning applications for waste management sites may require environmental impact assessment.

What fire suppression equipment is required at a tyre recycling site?

Fire suppression requirements at tyre recycling sites are set by environmental permit conditions and by the local fire service, typically following a fire risk assessment. Requirements may include a fixed fire detection system covering tyre storage areas, a sufficient water supply for firefighting (which may mean a dedicated storage tank where mains supply is inadequate), a normally closed drainage valve, and firefighting access routes of adequate width around storage areas. Some high-volume sites may require more extensive fixed suppression. Consult your local fire service at the planning stage.

Can I extend an existing site to add tyre recycling to an existing industrial operation?

Adding tyre recycling to an existing industrial site requires assessing whether the existing planning permission covers waste management activities and whether a new or varied environmental permit is required. In many cases, tyre recycling on an existing industrial site requires both a planning application or permitted development assessment and a new environmental permit or permit variation. The relevant local planning authority and the Environment Agency should be consulted at the planning stage before committing to site modification costs.