Ontario’s tire recycling system is facing mounting pressure, and for tire retailers, automotive repair facilities and other collection sites, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

Now a coalition of organizations including the Ontario Tire Dealers Association (OTDA), Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA), and Automotive Aftermarket Repair Organization of Canada (AARO), has just released a new communication outlining the steps that affected tire retailers and collection sites should now consider to protect their businesses during ongoing advocacy.

The move follows a set of urgings by the coalition to the province’s Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to address ongoing failures in the regulated scrap tire collection system that has led to growing uncollected volumes of used tires across the province as well as illegal dumping and a growing number of municipalities refusing to accept used tires in transfer stations as those facilities hit capacity.

The coalition had provided the PROs in July with an opportunity deliver a corrective action plan to address this scrap tire crisis, which has caused increasing operational, financial, health and safety, fire and environmental concerns.

That deadline has now passed without a coordinated response from Ontario’s PROs or any collective indication of meaningful corrective action. Meanwhile, tire stockpiles continue to grow across the province.

Among other considerations, collection sites are being encouraged to review their current tire acceptance practices, assess their capacity- and whether they should limit or stop accepting tires altogether.

Affected businesses are also being encouraged to review the financial implications of continuing to pay recycling fees where they are experiencing ongoing collection failures or have been denied access to the regulated collection network.

Exercising the right to refuse recycling charges for tires not adequately collected and services not provided is an additional suggestion.

The industry’s position remains clear that businesses should not be left carrying the operational and financial consequences of a collection system that is not providing reliable and accessible collection services. 

Earlier this month, the OTDA created an easy-to-navigate online resource page, bringing together key information and resources for those affected and invested.

The coalition will continue engaging with PROs, regulators and government representatives to seek a sustainable solution. 

Ontario’s tire retailers and collection sites support responsible tire recycling- and the coalition promises continued advocacy for a system that is accessible, reliable, accountable and capable of collecting scrap tires as they become available.