the only European organisation devoted exclusively to tyre and rubber recycling
ETRA is an independent, member-driven European Association open to those involved in the diverse activities that contribute to the ‘tyre recycling industry’. ETRA is the result of a project created in 1990 and funded in 1992, to bring together the disparate elements of tyre recycling in Europe. The association was conceived by 19 delegates to the first European Conference on Tyre Recycling, that was held in Brussels in January 1994 as a concluding activity for the year-long project. The conference brought together companies, government bodies, and individuals involved in tyre recycling - including granulaters, material users, product developers, collectors, retreaders, equipment manu-facturers and even tyre producers. In September 1994, ETRA was registered as a European Association with the goal of providing a forum for discussion and exchange concerning the emerging issues of the industry.
Today, ETRA is an independent European Association with membership of +250 tyre recycling professionals in 43 countries. ETRA is supported primarily through membership dues, research projects and programme sponsorship.
ETRA members reflect both the public and private sectors involved in the environmentally safe treatment and use of post-consumer tyres. Policy and decision makers as well as those charged with organising and connecting the links in the recycling chain are represented. With a focus on material recovery, ETRA members include material producers (i.e., granulaters, compounders) and users (e.g., civil engineers, product manufacturers), as well as collectors, manu-facturers of recycling equipment, research and training bodies, product developers and users of new technologies.
ETRA’s Mission is to formalise Tyre Recycling as an independent, multi-sectoral industry involved in a long chain of activities which protect the environment and enhance the quality of life through the creation of new businesses and jobs. This is accomplished through focused advocacy and cooperative actions to improve professional standards and develop quality guidelines for products and materials.
A principal goal is to assist in the realisation of cost-effective as well as environmentally sound and commercially via-ble tyre recycling activities. ETRA works closely with material and product developers and participates in a variety of EU and State funded projects to explore and exploit new markets.
ETRA’s primary objectives are:
- to serve in an advocacy role for the tyre recycling industry in contacts with public and private bodies and the consumer public;
- to defend the interests of the tyre recycling industry in regard to legislation;
- to promote tyre recycling and seek alternative, sustainable ways to expand existing markets and create new ones;
- to promote the use of recycled tyre rubber in a range of consumer and industrial products, as well as civil engineering applications;
- to provide communication links among tyre recycling professionals as well as with government and professional bodies, allied industries, research and development entities, and the public at large;
- to provide relevant information about developments, technologies and markets to members and other interested parties;
- to aid in the development and promotion of industry standards for tyre recycling;
- to provide assistance to groups and individuals in the tyre recycling industry.
ETRA supports a range of activities which include exchanges of information and experiences at conferences, semi-nars, workshops, working groups and study tours as well as with printed materials including newsletters and periodic monographs and reports, etc., that discuss new and advanced technologies, market trends and developments, collection and sorting systems, funding sources, as well as problems, issues and pitfalls. Study groups are formed on current topics of interest and concern to the industry.
Recognised by the EU Commission and Parliament, ETRA assisted in the Recycling Forum and dialogue on the Thematic Strategy for the prevention and recycling of waste. ETRA is a member of the European Recycling Coalition and was a keynote speaker at the 2006 Parliamentary hearings on Waste Management Policy, and again in January 2008 and is presently contributes to the discussions of ‘end-of-waste’ criteria. ETRA contributed to the UN (UNEP) Basel Convention ‘Guidelines for the identification and management of used tyres’. Recycled tyre materials are pre-registered under REACH through the ETRA-UMENA programme. CEN Technical Specifications have been completed as a tool for the preparation and treatment of these materials.
Registered in vol. LXXI No. 98 Registre des Associations du Tribunal d’instance de Strasbourg under articles 21 & 78, French civil law 1 June 1924
