Used tires once destined for export or landfill are creating jobs, playgrounds, consumer products and new roads in West Sydney through the Morrison government’s Recycling Modernization Fund.
Environment Minister Sussan Ley today visited Erskine Park for the official opening of a $ 10 million Tyrecycle plant with a production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of rubber crumbs each. year for road construction and 40,000 tonnes of fuel derived from tires.
Minister Ley said the Morrison Government’s Recycling Modernization Fund is bringing together state, land and industry investments to transform national recycling capacity and is on track to generate more than $ 800 million. dollars in new investment in recycling infrastructure.
“The Morrison government’s $ 190 million commitment is matched by states and territories, and businesses are backing it with unprecedented spending,” said Minister Ley.
“Australians are doing their part through home recycling, but as a nation we need to create more opportunities for recycled content and better processing methods.
“Tyrecycle’s new plant will process some of the 56 million end-of-life tires on Australian roads each year, turning them into a crumbled rubber product that can be used to build roads and other manufactured products. rubber such as athletics tracks, sports fields and playgrounds.
“The Morrison government is sending a clear signal for change with the third installment of our waste export ban last week shutting the door on shipping seven million baled tires each year.
“As we did with glass and mixed plastic, we are making sure we take responsibility for recycling our waste and start seizing the economic opportunity.”
Over 56 million tires end-of-life in Australia each year, but only 68% are recycled and reused. Tires are also highly combustible, difficult to extinguish, and when burned produce chemical toxins and harmful pollutants.
“We now have new road standards that promote the use of crumbled rubber in roads and pavements, which means less tires are stored and more are recycled, which is a big win for the environment,” said added Minister Ley.
“The rubber used to make the tires is strong, durable and has many uses after the tires themselves are no longer fit for the road. This project alone will divert over 2,500 tonnes of tire waste per year from on-site disposal or landfill, or overseas exports.
“And this is not the only Tyrecycle plant to be modernized under the RMF. As the overseas tire ban for disposal goes into effect on December 1, Tyrecycle has also received an additional $ 13 million for three other new tire processing plants, one in South Australia and two in Australia- Western.
“This will bring the number of Tyrecycle dedicated tire processing plants operating in Australia to nine, as part of a nationwide solution to domestic tire recycling,” said Minister Ley.
The Australian and NSW governments have co-invested $ 2.9 million in the Erskine Park facility through the Recycling Modernization Fund and Remanufacture NSW.
The upgrade will be completed next July and will support 20 new jobs during construction and six more during operation. After the upgrades, the plant will be able to process 50,000 tonnes of end-of-life tires each year.