THE ESTONIAN TYRE ASSOCIATION

The Estonian Tyre Association is a non-profit organisation and the oldest manufacturer’s liability watchdog in the country. We organise the collection and recycling of old tyres. Our members are Estonia’s largest producers and importers of tyres. It is in the best interests of all of these companies that tyres, as problem products, be reused as effectively and in an as environmentally-friendly a way as possible, as is required by the state’s Waste Act and scrap regulations.

MANUFACTURER’S LIABILITY

The Waste Act applies the principle of manufacturer's liability to problem products, which means that the manufacturer is obliged to ensure the collection and recycling or removal of the waste produced by products it has manufactured, sold or imported.

Manufacturer’s liability applies to those companies – producers, importers and wholesale and retail sellers – who are obliged to take responsibility for the substances contained in their products, the components of the products and the products as a whole from the moment of their production to the point at which they become waste.

In the case of tyres, European Union member states are guided by this principle of manufacturer’s liability, according to which importers and producers must finance a system of used tyre collection and recycling. Tyres have been included in the list of problem products in Estonia since the state’s scrap regulations were updated in July 2005, and manufacturer’s liability thus also applies to them.
In reality, implementing this principle has generally meant that producers or importers add a recycling fee to the price of a new tyre, with the money collected in this way forwarded to the manufacturer’s liability organisation. This organisation then arranges for the collection and recycling of the tyres, outsourcing services from the waste management sector.
Tyre recycling has been obligatory since 1 January 2006.


DECLARING QUANTITIES


Importers

At the beginning of each month, companies who import tyres for sale declare the total number of tyres sold (primary sales) in the previous calendar month to the Estonian Tyre Association.

Retreaders

At the beginning of each month, companies who import tyres for retreading declare the total number of tyres sold (primary sales) in the previous calendar month to the Estonian Tyre Association. Retreaders do not need to declare sales of tyres which have been recycled from those collected in Estonia.

Calculating fees

The Estonian Tyre Association issues invoices based on the declared number of tyres multiplied by the amount of the recycling fee.

Fee payment

Members of the Estonian Tyre Association are given three months in which to pay their fees.
Companies which are not members of the association must pay within two weeks.


Fees

1st class: 900 EEK/ton or 57,52 EUR/ton
2nd class: 900 EEK/ton or 57,52 EUR/ton

Establishing a system for the financing of the collection and recycling of old tyres

Tyre importers and retreaders began paying a recycling fee on imported tyres to the Estonian Tyre Association on 1 January 2006. The first report was presented to the association at the beginning of February 2006 regarding the previous month.

Use of the money collected

The Estonian Tyre Association is a manufacturer’s liability watchdog which organises the collection and recycling of reusable tyres.
When tyre companies (importers and retreaders) enter into manufacturer’s liability agreements with the association, declare the amount of tyres they sell and pay their invoices, the companies delegate the responsibilities placed on them by the Waste Act to the Estonian Tyre Association.

The association accepts old and historical tyres from individuals, local governments, tyre workshops who have entered into agreements with us and cleaning companies throughout the country free of charge.


TYRE SHREDDER

The Estonian Tyre Association has acquired a tyre shredder unique in Estonia for the recycling of its tyres. An international tender was organised for the procurement of the machine which was won by OÜ Weima Baltic. The shredder cost 6,995,000 EEK (+ VAT), with half of this sum financed by the Environmental Investment Centre.
The shredder was manufactured by the German company Artech and arrived in Estonia in early December 2005. The shredder sits on a trailer, making it easy to transport to collection points around the country and shred old tyres on site. The machine is capable of shredding between five and eight tons of tyres per hour and operates on two 75 kW electric motors. It has a separate sifter, guaranteeing that the size of the shredded tyre pieces is 100 mm x 100 mm.
The material produced can be used in road construction, as a raw material in the production of new tyres and for the building of waste disposal site infrastructure.



Tyre shredder data:
Manufacturer: Artech (Germany)
Operations: Mobile, sits on trailer, shreds 5-8 tons/hour
Power: 2 x 75 kW electric motors
Output: Separate sifter ensures shredded tyre pieces of 100 mm x 100 mm
Cost: 6,995,000 EEK (+ VAT)


CONTACT DETAILS & COMPANY INFORMATION

ESTONIAN TYRE ASSOCIATION
Reg. no. 80118804
VAT no. EE100857124
Address: Vana-Narva mnt 26, Maardu 74114, Estonia
Telephone: +372 633 9246, +372 56 236 697, +372 51 59 279

Fax: +372 633 9241

info@rehviliit.ee

Managing Director: Kaur Kuurme, telephone: +372 56 236 697, e-mail: kaur.kuurme@rehviliit.ee