The Indian Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA) has called for restrictions on the imports of waste tires into India, citing concerns that the country is becoming a “dumping ground” for scrap tires. In its pre-budget submission to the finance ministry, ATMA highlighted a significant increase in waste tire imports, which have risen more than fivefold since the 2020-21 fiscal year.
ATMA expressed concerns that the uncontrolled import of waste and scrap tires poses environmental and safety risks and undermines the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Regulation on Waste Tires, which has been in place since July 2022. The EPR framework aims to manage waste tire disposal and recycling more effectively, but the surge in imports challenges its effectiveness.
ATMA chairman Arnab Banerjee has emphasized the need for policy measures to restrict these imports, suggesting that waste tires should only be allowed into the country in multiple-cut or shredded form. This approach aligns with the original EPR regulations, which initially included such a requirement but later relaxed it following requests from the tire recycling sector.
India produces over 200 million tires annually. Banerjee noted that the country has sufficient domestic capacity to handle end of life tires (ELTs) and does not need to rely on imported waste tires.
According to ATMA, these tires often end up being resold in the replacement market, raising safety concerns, or are improperly disposed of, leading to environmental degradation.
