Bridgestone joins Tyre Stewardship Australia

• Australia’s tyre industry leader joins Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA)

• Scheme aims to address challenge of 48 million end-of-life tyres per year 

• Underlines Bridgestone’s continued global commitment to the environment 

Tyre Stewardship Australia – an industry initiative created to deal with the 48 million end-of-life tyres created in Australia every year – now has the support of the tyre industry leader in Australia and New Zealand and the world’s number one tyre brand. 

Today Bridgestone Australia Ltd. announced it has officially joined the TSA at an event at Bridgestone’s Bandag Manufacturing facility in the Brisbane suburb of Wacol. 

The event was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Bob Baldwin MP, TSA Chairman Gerry Morvell and Bridgestone Australia Managing Director Andrew Moffatt. 

Mr Moffatt said the decision to join TSA was a natural extension of Bridgestone’s commitment to the environment. 

“At Bridgestone, we take a multi-faceted approach to ensuring we do everything we can to lower our impact on the environment,” Mr Moffatt said.

“This includes our fuel-saving low rolling resistance Ecopia technology, which lowers emissions and is being progressively introduced across our passenger car, 4WD and truck tyre ranges, our Bandag retread process, which ensures tyre casings are reused rather than wasted, and our commitment to use only authorised tyre recyclers throughout our dealer network,” he said. 

“We also extend this commitment to our physical facilities, such as the rainwater harvesting and solar energy program at our Bandag Wacol site, through to our fleet of hybrid vehicles.”

“We believe we are leading by example, and see TSA as a very important vehicle in helping educate the consumer and bring national focus and real solutions to the critical issue of waste tyres in Australia.” 

TSA is an initiative led by major tyre manufacturers and backed by the Australian Motor Industry Federation and the Minerals Council of Australia, with the support of Federal and State/Territory Governments. 

It was formed to implement the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme which has the core objectives of:  

• education of industry and consumers; 

• research and development focussed on new uses for recycled raw materials; and 

• independent auditing designed to eradicate dirty, unsafe and illegal practices. 

The Scheme will recognise sustainable end-of-life tyre management through an accreditation and auditing system, reassuring consumers that they’re buying tyres from retailers who are committed to responsible practices. Consumers will be able to identify participants in the Scheme through TSA signage at retail outlets and by visiting the TSA website.

“Of the approximately 48 million end-of-life tyres created annually in Australia, only 16 per cent are currently recycled. The rest are disposed to landfill, stockpiled, illegally dumped or exported overseas,” TSA Chairman Gerry Morvell said.

“We welcome Bridgestone to Tyre Stewardship Australia. Their participation will add to the considerable strength of this cooperative industry endeavour and will help address the physical management of end-of-life tyres.”

“We are confident that Bridgestone will also play a major role in gaining public recognition and support for the industry’s efforts to address this environmental challenge.”

The Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme will be funded through an ACCC approved levy of 25 cents per new passenger equivalent tyre sold in Australia.