South-west farmers' million-tyre problem as DELWP weighs rule changes

DELWP initiated a consultation round between October 27 and December 10, 2021, asking farmers how many tyres they had on their farms and what the tyres were being used for.

Information on the department's 'Engage' web page said the consultation would be used "to determine if the requirements for waste tyres on farms under the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 are fit for purpose and balance the needs of farmers and our environment".

The issue was raised by councillor Jamie Vogels at the monthly Corangamite Shire Council meeting on Tuesday, who said he had received several calls from local farmers concerned about "EPA controls that would further restrict the use of whole tyres on silage stacks".

"We need to be reassured that this long-standing farming activity can continue, but also that there is no cost shifting to farmers," Cr Vogels said.

"It is not appropriate that the legacy costs of disposing of these tyres be borne by farmers, given they were received at a time when using old tyres in this way was allowed."

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While the DELWP engagement survey doesn't specifically foreshadow the use of whole tyres being restricted on Victorian farms, those who have been following nation-wide regulatory changes closely said it's not a matter of if, but when, the rules are changed.

Allansford fencing contractor Pete Singleton has been helping local farmers dispose of their tyres for the past seven months.

He points out Queensland has already introduced strict rules governing the use of tyres on farms.

Since early 2021, farmers in Queensland have had to account for all of the whole tyres on their farm. Any tyres being put to agricultural use such as lying on top of silage have had to be registered with the Queensland Department of Environmental science.

Any tyres stored on farms that aren't being put to use are considered a breach of regulations and risk significant fines.

"Farmers don't realise these changes are very close, within the next year or two," Mr Singleton said.

In response to questions from The Standard, DELWP said it had no intention to ban the use of tyres as a weight for sileage.

DELWP director of environmental protection Eve Graham said the current review was specifically focussed on tyre storage on farms with more than 5000 tyres.

"DELWP is working with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to determine whether the current requirement for farmers to hold a licence under the Environment Protection Act 2017 for the storage of 5000 or more tyres, is fit for purpose," she said.

The response did not say whether farmers would have to dispose of tyres that were not actively being used, nor whether they would have to bear the associated costs.

The results of the survey are expected soon.

Mr Singleton said the number of used tyres in farms across the south-west was astronomical.

"There would be at least a million tyres on farms within 100 kilometres of Warrnambool," he said, adding that farmers he had spoken to had no idea about the requirement to hold a licence if they had more than 5000 tyres.

Cr Vogels said his main concern was for farmers not to bear the brunt of any changes.

"We need to make sure farmers aren't left holding the can," he said.

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