Waste Tyres Statistics for Ireland

Waste tyre highlights for 2024

95% exported.

49,700 tonnes of waste tyres were finally treated in 2024; 47,200 of those were exported for treatment.

This page contains EPA waste data for Ireland’s waste tyres (released September 2026). These data are compiled every second year primarily to meet a national need under S.I. No. 400 of 2017 – Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 and comprise part of the report for EU Waste Statistics Regulation (Regulation EC No 2150/2002).

Highlights ~ Generated and treated ~ Trends ~ More information ~ Links

Generated and treated

52,866 tonnes of Irish waste tyres were accepted at waste treatment facilities and/or exported. 49,743 tonnes of those tyres were treated in 2024, while the remainder were stored. This does not include waste tyres imported from other countries for treatment.

decorative Sankey chart; a visual representation of tables 1, 3 and 3 below

Table 1 – Export and treatment in Ireland of Irish waste tyres in 2024.
First and second treatment steps (tonnes)
Direct export	2,540	Direct export	2,540
Baled/no treatment	33,528	Baled and then exported	33,304
		Baled and then used for energy recovery in Ireland	221
		Baled and then recycled in Ireland	3
Shredded	10,529	Shredded and then exported	10,349
		Shredded and then used for enerygy recovery in Ireland	87
		Shredded and then recycled in Ireland	93
Crumbed	2,482	Crumbed and then exported	1,006
		Crumbed and then used for energy recovery in Ireland	0
		Crumbed and then recycled in Ireland	1,476
Prepared for Reuse	664	Reused in Ireland	664
Total treated	49,743	Total treated	49,743

Table 2 - Treatment and general destination of exported waste tyres in 2024.
Export location and treatment type abroad (tonnes)
Exported to the EU	270	Exported to the EU and then used for Energy Recovery	234
		Exported to the EU and then prepared for reuse/reused	36
		Exported to the EU and then recycled	0
Exported to the UK	23,853	Exported to the UK and then used for Energy Recovery	9,529
		Exported to the UK and then prepared for reuse/reused	1,091
		Exported to the UK and then recycled	13,233
Exported to other countries	23,076	Exported to other countries and then used for Energy Recovery	14,506
		Exported to other countries and then prepared for reuse/reused	0
		Exported to other countries and then recycled	8,570
Total waste tyres exported	47,199	Total waste tyres exported	47,199

Table 3 - Final treatment of Irish waste tyres in Ireland and abroad in 2024.
Final treatment type and location (proportion and tonnes)
Total energy recovery	49%	24,577	Energy Recovery in Ireland	308
Total energy recovery	49%	24,577	Energy Recovery Abroad	24,269
Total recycled	47%	23,375	Recycled in Ireland	1,572
Total recycled	47%	23,375	Recycled Abroad	21,803
Total reused/prepared for reuse	4%	1,791	Reused/Prepared for Reuse in Ireland	664
Total reused/prepared for reuse	4%	1,791	Reused/Prepared for Reuse Abroad	1,127
Total treated	100%	49,743	Total treated	49,743

Trends

In 2022, energy recovery surpassed recycling as the dominant treatment for waste tyres due to a rise in demand for waste to energy, particularly in cement kilns. In 2024, the trend appears is reversing again, with a decrease in demand for waste to energy and a rise in demand for recycled rubber products. These trends are driven predominantly by activities outside of Europe and the UK.

More Information

Waste tyres pose a threat to the atmosphere, to land, soil, water, plants and animals if they are not managed properly. The Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 S.I. No. 400/2017 is in place to ensure the best possible practices are applied to tyre production and management of waste tyres.

Tyres become waste when worn-out tyres on a vehicle are replaced; and, unless reused, they become waste when the vehicle they are on is transferred to an authorised treatment facility for end-of-life vehicles.

The EPA data on waste tyres draw on multiple sources including EPA surveys, data from the National Waste Collection Permit Office, data on exports from the National Transfrontier Shipments Office, and information from the tyres producer compliance scheme Circol ELT.

There are no statutory recycling or recovery targets set down in the Waste Tyres Regulations. However, Circol ELT’s ministerial approval obligates the compliance scheme to meet minimum targets for the type of tyres it covers. By the end of 2019, and each subsequent year, it must achieve:

A recovery rate of 70% of all tyres collected, and
A recycling rate of 30% of all tyres collected.

The producer compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres, operated by Circol ELT (formerly Repak ELT), was introduced in October 2017 under the Tyres and Waste Tyres Regulations 2017.

2018 was the first full calendar year of Circol ELT’s operation. The scheme currently covers only car and motorcycle tyres and does not include truck, agricultural, or construction tyres. (Note: the EPA data presented reflects all types of waste tyres managed.)

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy includes a commitment to expand the producer compliance scheme to all tyre categories covered by the Tyres Regulations, including passenger car, van, 4x4, truck, bus, agricultural, and motorcycle tyres.