Pakistan has been a secondary market for waste tyre imports, but even here the market is tightening as the EPA tightens environmental rules.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environment Protection Agency in the North West province of Pakistan, has imposed a ban for one year throughout the province on toxic gas emitting tyre pyrolysis units.
The order has been issued in exercise of power conferred by clause (XII) of Section 7 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Act 2014 has been enforced with immediate effect, states a notification issued by EPA KP.
The decision has also been taken in pursuance of directives of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) directing action against tyre pyrolyzing factories.
There are around 11 factories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that are burning used tyres, out of which, nine are in Nowshera and two in Peshawar.
Tyre pyrolysis technology is used for the conversion of thousands of kilograms of waste plastic and tyres into high-quality fuel oil, carbon black, steel wire, and combustible gas. Uncontrolled factories produce toxic gases in the air causing a number of respiratory ailments as a result of badly polluted air in their surroundings.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adil Zareef of Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN) while appreciating the decision has demanded a complete ban on the practice.
