To ask the Minister of the Environment what action his Department is taking to ensure tyres and other materials which are hazardous to the health of nearby residents are not burned on bonfires this year.

The burning of tyres in an unauthorised manner such as bonfires is illegal and generates toxic fumes and by-products which are extremely dangerous to our health and the environment. It is a practice which must be brought to an end.

Lead responsibility for bonfire management rests with local councils; however I am committed to working with and supporting the councils to reduce and ultimately eliminate the burning of tyres on bonfires. The Department will of course use its enforcement powers in support of Councils, where it can. My Department is also working in partnership with councils on tyre related matters. I recently met with senior representatives of all local councils to offer leadership and support on developing a multi-agency approach to deal with these difficult matters.

In Northern Ireland we have problematic waste streams where it is difficult to provide routes for re-use and recycling, in particular with the likes of waste tyres. Yet I am working hard to try and address this issue, for example through a recently signed innovative Partnership Agreement with Lafarge Cement, we are exploring opportunities to re-use these waste materials in ways that will bring about both environmental and economic gains. This will help to remove substantial amounts of waste tyres from being dumped or used illegally.

I have asked my officials to maximise the use of our powers in dealing with this issue. We have powers to take action against people who stockpile and distribute used tyres. We will educate and enforce in areas where this problem has been identified. We will investigate the sources of tyres that have been disposed of at bonfire sites, so that action can be taken where possible to deter it from happening in the future.

The Department’s current tyre policy includes legislative, regulatory, enforcement, alternative uses and communication measures, all of which are included as Actions in The DOE’s Tyre Action Plan.

I have allocated staff to audit the disposal of waste tyres amongst other issues. The team will be concentrating on the audit of waste tyres from the retailer to the carrier and finally to disposal by the waste operator. DOE officials and local council officers have jointly visited 15 businesses throughout the North to inspect for compliance with waste regulations. Two of these sites are now under active investigation.

Dialogue has also commenced regarding proposals for a new Used Tyre Scheme in Ireland and the potential for a complementary scheme for Northern Ireland. I have approved the establishment of a Tyres Working Group which would assist my Department in the drafting of new Regulations to underpin the structures recommended in the draft report.