Last year, the Fork Lift Truck Association and the Industrial Tyre Association warned of a looming industry crisis: the imposition of an EU directive which would place a ban on sending whole tyres to landfill sites (Forkliftaction.com News #132).

With no practical means of shredding the solid tyres used on many forklifts by end-users the cost of legal disposal seemed set to rocket.

The associations are now pleased to report that Watts Industrial Tyres, a member of both the ITA and the FLTA, has made significant progress towards tackling the problem.

"A number of waste disposal companies have machines designed for reducing pneumatic tyres to crumb, which can be recycled in a number of ways, but these machines are not capable of dealing with solid tyres," said Phil Perry, Watts' director and general manager.

"One possibility considered was a fragmenting machine capable of chewing up a transit van... but it was defeated by these tyres!"

With a very tight deadline set by the Environment Agency, the search became increasingly urgent. Finally, Watts found three 'project partners' with machinery that could be adapted to fragment the tyres into a mulch for gardening, or into crumb suitable for making surfaces for indoor equestrian arenas, sports pitches, playgrounds and other flooring.

Additionally, Watts' company in Sri Lanka can remanufacture selected used tyres into a reprocessed tyre called the Quantum, which is said to look and function just like a new solid tyre.

Reacting to these developments, FLTA chief executive David Ellison said: "It looks like we will have long-term, cost-effective, environmentally-sound solutions after all."

"In the meantime, we must continue to stress that waste disposal is a responsibility to be shared by the whole industry. We ask for continuing co-operation from all quarters as the new disposal procedures are implemented."

He also added: "We must also remind everyone that the obligation to dispose of tyres legally applies to the users of the tyres, as well as those who make and sell them. An audit trail exists for every tyre, allowing authorities to check its fate, and unlimited fines await those convicted of breaking the law."