Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 23 November 2012:

(1) What is the status of the product stewardship scheme for end-of-life tyres.

(2) In the absence of an established product stewardship scheme, what actions are being taken to ensure appropriate disposal of end-of-life tyres.

(3) Given that under the Basel Convention tyres are not deemed hazardous waste, has the Government considered declaring tyres hazardous waste to prevent their export overseas.

(4) Has the Government investigated allegations that Australian used-tyres are being used as cheap fuel for cooking stoves and heating in Vietnam and China; if so, what has been concluded.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Tyre Implementation Working Group has finalised Guidelines describing the operations of a voluntary product stewardship scheme to be established by industry. The Working Group includes representation from the Australian Government, Queensland Government and the tyre industry. It is expected that the Guidelines will be published on the website of the COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water during December 2012.

In September 2012 the tyre industry applied to the ACCC for authorisation of the proposed scheme. The next step for the tyre industry is the establishment of a company called Tyre Stewardship Australia to implement and administer the voluntary product stewardship scheme. The scheme is expected to commence operations in the first half of 2013.

(2) State and territory governments have primary responsibility for waste management including the appropriate disposal of end-of-life tyres.

The Australian Government has supported the tyre industry to develop a voluntary industry-led tyre product stewardship scheme.

(3) Currently under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 the Minister cannot declare waste tyres as hazardous waste for the purposes of export unless the destination country notifies the Basel Convention that its domestic legislation classifies waste tyres as hazardous waste.

(4) The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities wrote to China and Vietnam on 13 January 2012 seeking advice on whether their domestic legislation restricting waste tyre imports triggers Basel Convention procedures. Neither country has indicated that their domestic legislation relating to waste tyre imports triggers Article 3 Basel Convention procedures.