Intro:

At the 2025 TRA Annual Conference in Warwickshire, Georgia Elliott-Smith, CEO of environmental campaign group Fighting Dirty, made a powerful appeal to the UK government: to translate ambitious circular economy rhetoric into meaningful regulatory reform for waste tyres. Her address called on government agencies to embrace the TRA’s “Road to Reform” framework and collaborate, rather than delay. 

Key Messages & Industry Response

• Elliott-Smith emphasized that while the UK government speaks of circularity and sustainability, the current rules governing end-of-life tyres (ELTs) perpetuate loopholes, weak enforcement, and regulatory inertia. She framed it as a moral and climate urgency. 

• Fighting Dirty has already initiated legal action against the Environment Agency (EA) for failures in reining in noncompliant operators. In her speech, she noted that while the EA admitted procedural faults, pending regulatory changes remain in limbo. 

• The TRA’s Peter Taylor OBE echoed the call, stating that UK tyre processors need clarity, predictable policy, and an elimination of malpractice to build a sustainable domestic capability. He urged DEFRA and the EA to invite industry participation in the design of the reform. 

• At its core, the “Road to Reform” demands:
   1. Stronger regulation of tyre waste handlers
   2. Verified tracking/audit systems
   3. Enforcement action against malpractice
   4. Incentives for legitimate recycling
   5. Partnership mechanisms between government, regulators, and industry 

If passed and implemented, these changes could help align UK tyre policy with circular ambitions, reduce environmental harm, and lift the viability of proper tyre recycling companies.

During the TRA Conference, Georgia Elliott-Smith, CEO of the environmental campaign group Fighting Dirty, urged the government to work with the TRA if it wants the Circular Economy to happen and address the climate change crisis.

In her address to the TRA conference held on Tuesday in Warwickshire, Georgia Elliott-Smith encouraged the government to prioritise the regulatory reforms the TRA is calling for, welcoming the practical approach of the five-step Road to Reform published this summer.

The tyre recycling industry gathered at the Ardencote Hotel today for its annual conference, which examined the progress made over the last year and the current need for reforms to secure its long-term future. Georgia Elliott-Smith, who is a Chartered Engineer and worked as an environmental consultant and sustainability manager before founding Fighting Dirty and becoming a full-time environmental campaigner, commented: “There are real opportunities for UK tyre waste, but how can the industry progress? It is an unexpected but welcome union between the TRA and Fighting Dirty, but we are united in seeking a change to the rules currently in place regarding British end-of-life waste tyres (ELTs). We are partners when you agree that the climate crisis is real and we only have a limited time to reverse it. We can partner with the TRA because we both agree that it’s time to stop talking and start taking action for change. Regulation and its enforcement are key to that.”

“Fighting Dirty will continue to initiate legal challenges when we see inaction by regulators, that’s why we initiated court proceedings against the Environment Agency in February, proceedings that led to the EA admitting that there was a failure to understand their responsibilities and regulate. Enhanced verification procedures are a positive step in the right direction. Still, we wait to see that they deliver the promised change – our legal action is only paused,” she added at the TRA conference.

Looking to the future and the potential industry changes, Georgia Elliott-Smith spoke about a vision for regulation, environmental campaigns, and the tyre waste industry: “As an environmental campaign group, we have real concerns about false solutions. What does the Government actually mean by a Circular Economy? It must not lead to false solutions. Regulatory reform needs to create new, large-scale industries that transition from transitional solutions to self-sustaining entities. Climate change is created by CO2. We don’t want new industries that are still able to produce yet more pollution. If we do that, we can see Green Industry and Circularity truly be the future of the UK industry.”

“Policy leadership can create the industry design solution of the future – what is possible in the tyre industry to move it to that new vision, that moves through transitory solutions to genuine solutions for the industry of the future. We all have to be troublemakers, to be a nuisance for a cause,” she concluded.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, said: “Today saw the largest gathering of TRA members and industry players in a year. There is a sense of possibility and optimism following the refocus on reform after the Waste Minister’s comments in the spring. However, we still await that rhetoric to become a reality. Operational clarity for our members will stem from informed decisions regarding the implementation of regulatory reform. This must happen if we are to secure domestic capability and the long-term success of British used tyre processors. We all want to see reforms that stop malpractice and corner-cutting, which does so much damage to the environment and undermines legitimate operators.”

“As Georgia set out today, there is currently a big gap between the stated objective of Britain having a circular economy and what is happening in practice. We welcome the Environment Agency’s contributions to today’s discussions. We again encourage them (and DEFRA) to invite industry representatives through their door so we can speak with them and help bring about meaningful reform. Partnership and cooperation are the quickest and most effective route down the road to reform that the Minister initiated nearly six months ago,” he added. 

Learn more:

• Tire Pyrolysis Project
• Pyrolysis Oil Fuel Credits
• Tyre Pyrolysis Guide
• Plastic Pyrolysis Solutions
• Tire Pyrolysis Plant Setup

Bridge Dialogue to Policy Impact — Partner with Klean to Drive Change

Coalition building. Technical expertise. One partner that helps turn reform concepts into enforceable systems.

As the UK stands at a crossroads between symbolic green talk and actionable regulation, Klean Industries can assist in policy design, audit & monitoring systems, compliance roadmaps, and strategic stakeholder alignment. Your organisation can be a constructive voice, not just a critic.

Klean’s Value in Tyre Policy & Implementation:

✅ Policy drafting & regulatory design support
✅ Audit, tracking & verification system architecture
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✅ Supply chain mapping & legitimate recycling structuring
✅ Stakeholder alignment & engagement facilitation

With Klean’s domain depth across waste, circular systems, and regulatory strategy, your influence in shaping UK tyre reform will be data-driven, credible, and catalytic.

Ready to collaborate on UK tyre waste policy reform?

Talk to a Klean Industries Circular Policy Expert Today » GO.