T8 tyre waste exemption likely to be withdrawn in January 2027

The Environment Agency’s new guidance, published on 21 October 2026, outlines changes to the waste exemptions system, including the removal of T8 alongside the T9 exemption for recovering scrap metal and U16 exemption for using depolluted end-of-life vehicles for parts.

The reforms are currently being considered by Parliament and are expected to be approved before 17 December 2026. The new regulations are due to come into force on 6 January 2027, subject to parliamentary approval.

The withdrawal of T8 will mean operators currently relying on the exemption to mechanically treat end-of-life tyres will need to consider the environmental permitting requirements that apply to their activities.

The changes form part of wider efforts to reform the waste exemptions system, which allows certain waste management activities to take place without a full environmental permit.

The planned changes follow previous calls from the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) for tighter controls on waste tyre management and exports.

The initial plans to remove the exemption was outlined in a policy paper published on 18 July 2025, however the TRA has expressed frustration previously about a lack of a firm implementation timeline.

Tyre export checks

The move comes after the Environment Agency issued guidance to waste export operators on 1 October setting out enhanced checks for shipments of waste tyres.

The guidance requires operators to provide tracking information, including the Annex VII form, both before and after shipment. This must demonstrate that the intended destination has received the waste detailed in the documentation, supported by additional evidence.

Exporters must also demonstrate that waste tyres will be recovered in an environmentally sound manner, to standards of environmental and human health protection broadly equivalent to those in the UK.

The measures are intended to strengthen oversight of waste tyre exports and are separate from the planned withdrawal of the T8 exemption.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the Tyre Recovery Association, commented on the guidance: “This is an important step forward and will be welcomed by responsible operators across the country.

“The TRA have been campaigning for years to end the damage British waste tyres are doing to the environment and in local communities overseas, in particular in Indian.”