Ontario, Canada, is partly undoing an earlier reduction in tire-recycling requirements after used tires built up outside repair shops and depots across the province.
Here's what to know
According to CBC Toronto, Ontario's Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority said tire manufacturers must now recycle 80% of used tires by weight, while the number of required collection sites is set to rise from about 4,300 to around 6,500 in 2027.
@cbctoronto Since January 2025, Ontario has been mired in problems following changes to provincial tire recycling rules. As Greg Ross explains, the province is changing its recycling target in hopes of turning things around. #ontario #tires #cars #auto#cbcnews ♬ original sound - CBC Toronto
The new requirement reverses part of a January 2025 change, when the province cut the recycling target from 85% to 65% and lowered the number of required collection sites. That shift contributed to a growing backlog, with used tires piling up at auto shops and collection points.
"We [didn't] know where to put them," said Shanu Nanda, manager at Scarborough mechanic shop Flame Auto Repair.
More background
Companies that supply tires to the Ontario market have been responsible since 2019 for collecting them and managing them at the end of their lives. Those producers can pass the work to producer responsibility organizations, which then coordinate with haulers and recyclers.
Ontario Tire Dealers Association chief executive director Adam Moffatt said the slowdown became more noticeable over time.
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"As this year progressed, we saw less and less collection and recycling activity," Moffatt said. "The backlog has progressed even greater than it was this time last year."
What's being done?
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks spokesperson Gary Wheeler said end-of-life tires should be collected and managed whenever they become available, regardless of targets. The province says increasing the requirements is intended to reduce the backlog and make tire collection more reliable.
The Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority finalized the amendments after a public consultation.
"We're so happy that it's been picked up regularly now," Nanda said about the new procedure.
Still, Moffatt said clearing the backlog will take time.
"The changes are positive," he said to CBC Toronto. "We're still concerned."
Where can I learn more?
Better recycling systems can keep used tires and other materials circulating and minimize waste.
• A manufacturer of rubber products has turned old tires into new materials after solving a long-standing odor problem.
• Scientists found tire pollution in urban waterways, adding urgency to keeping old tires contained.
• Communities are being urged to reconsider curbside recycling programs as costs and limits come into focus.
• Across the U.S., recycling already supports 603,000 local jobs.
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