Tyres

There are approximately 20 million tyres currently stockpiled in Australia, with a further 15 million disposed of per annum.

Theoretically, it’s possible to recover the raw materials from tyres, though there is little or no disposal by this method due to the high cost. Of the 15 million tyres disposed of annually, a number are retreads. Retreading represents tyre re-use rather than tyre recycling and it ultimately only delays tyre disposal.

Will WSN Environmental Solutions accept my tyres?

Shredded tyres are accepted at WSN's Eastern Creek and Lucas Heights facilities.

Whole car tyres are accepted at all WSN Waste and Recycling Centres except the Macarthur Resource Recovery Park. Please note that a maximum of 5 tyres applies.

Large whole tyres (truck) are accepted only at Lucas Heights and must be pre-booked. To make a booking to deliver your large whole (truck) tyres, contact WSN Customer Service on 1300 651 116.

What else can I do with my tyres?

Sims Tyrecycle collects scrap and imperfect tyres from manufacturers, retailers, local councils and other sources and disposes of them in accordance with environmental regulations. Some of the rubber material is turned into high quality crumb, and steel is recycled through the same process.

The crumb is widely used in tyre manufacturing, road repairs, soft fall surfacing, horse arenas, brake pads, tile adhesives, insulation purposes and sporting surfaces etc. The remaining tyres are used mainly for civil engineering projects, fuel for energy recovery systems and drainage aggregates.

Find out more about the disposal of motor vehicle items