The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference’s (SATMC) waste tyre plan is still waiting on approval. Tyres are increasingly being dumped at unauthorised sites because landfills no longer accept waste tyres and there is a lack of adequate waste tyre disposal mechanism.

The SATMC is hoping to get government’s approval on the implementation of the South African Tyre Recycling Plan (SATRP) Waste Tyre Plan (WTP) in the first half of this year.

SATMC had hoped that water affairs Minister Edna Molewa would have approved the SATRP WTP by the end of last year. They are currently trying to organise an urgent meeting with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to discuss this matter.

SATMC CEO and director Dr Etienne Human told Engineering News that the dumping of tyres at unauthorised sites could spell a major environmental crisis for South Africa

The SATRP WTP was discussed with and submitted to the DEA in August for gazetting to obtain public comment over a 30-day period. However Human says the plan remains in limbo.