AUSTRALIAN authorities recently intercepted 10 shipping containers carrying illegal tyre waste due to depart from Sydney for Malaysia.
Foreign reports said the Australian Border Force (ABF) detected the 280-tonne shipment, the equivalent of 175 passenger cars, during ongoing border monitoring.
A team of compliance and enforcement officers from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) inspected the contents of the 10 containers and found a mixture of non-compliant baled waste tires and bags of shredded waste tire pieces.
Following the inspection, the Melbourne based tyre-exporter was issued with a compulsory direction to deal with non-compliance and was required to collect the containers from the facility at his own cost.
The company is liable for detention, inspection, and transport fees, and may also face further costs to process the tyres in line with legal standards.
Under the RAWR Act, unlawful export of tyres carries penalties of up to five years in prison and fines for individuals or companies.
Since the introduction of the tyre export rules, the ABF and DCCEEW stated that they have intercepted 61 containers of non-compliant tyre waste across 14 separate consignments, preventing an estimated 1,700 tonnes of waste tyres from being exported.
A DCCEEW spokesperson said exporters must ensure end-of-life tyres are processed correctly and comply with Australia’s waste export laws. – October 7, 2025
