Question NW1602 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
13 June 2018 - NW1602
Steenkamp, Ms J to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
(1)What are the details of her Department’s plans to deal with the tyre stockpile; (2) (a) has she found that dumping the tyres at depots solves the problem, (b) why is her Department only talking about the rate of diverting tyres from landfills instead of focusing on the rate of recycling tyres; and (3) what does the target of diverting 50% of all tyres from landfills in the 2018-19 financial year as set by her Department amount to, in tons?
Reply:
1. The stockpiles created by REDISA, as well as waste tyres collected from collection points, are sorted and pre-processed at depots prior to being delivered to processors and/or secondary industries. Stockpiles which do not fall within the category above (Historical waste tyre stockpiles) are dealt with in terms of Regulations 7, 8 and 9 of the Waste Tyre Regulations of 2017. Owners of Historical waste tyre stockpiles are expected to register with the Minister, as well as submit abatement plans to the Minister for approval.
2. (a) As explained above, in the absence of sufficient processing capacity, storage of waste tyres in depots does ensure that collection depots are continually serviced that waste tyres are removed from the environment and put in a controlled environment to minimise their impacts on the environment. There is no dumping of tyres happening.
(b) Diversion from landfill includes recycling.
3. The target of diverting 50% of tyres from landfills in the 2018-19 financial year amounts to 85 133 tons.
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