Tasmania EPA disrupts alleged illegal tyre collection network

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Tasmania illegal tyre collection

Highlights

Tasmania's EPA disrupts an alleged interstate tyre collection scheme that falsely presented itself as an approved waste transporter, collecting 4,000–5,000 tyres from businesses.
Investigators discover six shipping containers filled with tyres in Bridgewater and Launceston, with the group using rented vehicles, short-term leases, and false credentials across several states.
Enforcement action is taken against one operator, warning notices issued to retailers, and breaches of Environmental Management and Pollution Control Regulations 2020 and potential fraud offences identified.

Investigation uncovers scale of alleged tyre scheme

As reported by ABC News, Tasmania's Environment Protection Authority says it has disrupted an interstate waste tyre operation that allegedly collects between 4,000 and 5,000 tyres from businesses under false pretences. The agency says the group presents itself as legitimate registered controlled waste transporters approved by the EPA and Tyre Stewardship Australia.

The investigation begins last year after reports that an unlicensed company is approaching businesses across the state. Investigators later locate six shipping containers filled with tyres in June, including four in Bridgewater and two in Launceston, and say the operators use rented vehicles, short-term container leases and false credentials as part of a network active in several Australian states over recent years.

Regulatory action and wider waste crime risks

The EPA says the inquiry leads to enforcement action against one operator and warning notices for retailers that it says should reasonably have recognised suspicious activity. Evidence gathered in the case includes alleged breaches of Tasmania's Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Waste Management) Regulations 2020, alongside potential fraud offences.

EPA chief executive and director Catherine Murdoch says the investigation helps other jurisdictions tackle similar unlawful activity. She says waste crime can carry significant financial and environmental consequences for businesses and the wider community, and argues early detection is critical before such operations become more established.

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