Tyre Dumping (Rural Areas)

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 1 March 2012.

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Photo of Colin Beattie Colin Beattie Scottish National Party

2. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to combat the dumping of vehicle tyres in rural areas. (S4O-00730)

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and zero waste Scotland on the specific issue of waste tyres. Recent joint SEPA and local authority initiatives targeting illegal operators have resulted in significant reductions in the instances of illegal tyre dumping. For example, in 2010 in the North Lanarkshire and Glasgow areas, operation aspen resulted in a 71 per cent reduction in incidents. There are other examples.

Photo of Colin Beattie Colin Beattie Scottish National Party

The dumping of tyres in the rural areas of my constituency is endemic. It is not unusual to encounter 30 or 40 tyres distributed along a rural road. Does the cabinet secretary agree that measures for the better control of safe and appropriate disposal of old tyres need to be put in place, which would also allow the tracking of individual tyre disposal?

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

The member makes a good point. I am happy to investigate the details further. We all accept that the illegal dumping of tyres in the countryside is a blight on our landscape that we should tackle. A lot of good work, involving many local authorities and agencies, is taking place to curb illegal fly-tipping, of which dumping of tyres is a major component. If further measures need to be taken, I will investigate them. If the member wants to write to me with some ideas, that would be helpful.

Photo of Margaret McDougall Margaret McDougall Labour

The cabinet secretary acknowledges that dumped tyres are an eyesore in rural areas. They present a significant health risk and encourage insect and rodent infestation. I look for his support in encouraging a campaign similar to those that he mentioned to be carried out throughout our rural areas and, perhaps, in other local authority areas.

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

The member has my support. There are other examples of good initiatives that have good results. For instance, in 2011, operation indigo led to instances of tyre dumping in East Ayrshire falling from up to 200 tyres a month to only a few sporadic incidents.

Such initiatives work, and we should all support them in our local areas. I will certainly check what the situation is elsewhere in Scotland.

Photo of Linda Fabiani Linda Fabiani Scottish National Party

Does the minister acknowledge that there are facilities for recycling old tyres in all sorts of civil works but that it is sometimes felt that the regulations that SEPA and other agencies enforce are overly difficult? Perhaps, if the regulations could be simplified, it might make some of the issues easier to deal with and enable better recycling of old tyres.

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

If there are ways in which the regulations can be simplified, I would be happy to consider them. I urge the member to write to me with examples of how the regulations are the barrier to the proper disposal of tyres.

There is a market for used tyres and it is only right that those who wish to dispose of them pay for doing so because, in this country, we believe in the polluter-pays principle. Therefore, we must have regulations in place but, if they can be simplified, I will consider that.