Tyre stewardship scheme appoints CEO

EXPERIENCED environmental professional Matt Genever has joined Tyre Stewardship Australia as chief executive, becoming the first CEO for the tyre industry’s end-of-life management scheme that kicked off in July last year.

Mr Genever has more than a decade’s experience in the waste and recycling industry, most recently as a business leader for waste and resource management with Melbourne-based multinational design and engineering consultancy Hyder.

He previously spent five years with Sustainability Victoria in various roles, including facilitator and resource recovery manager, while earlier in his career Mr Genever worked as an environmental consultant in both Melbourne and London.

TSA chairman Gerry Morvell described the appointment as “an important milestone in TSA’s ongoing task of ensuring sustainable management of end-of-life tyres and working towards maximising commercially viable recycling”.

“TSA has grown rapidly with the support of tyre companies, major tyre retail chains and the recycling sector,” he said.

“This new appointment will enable the TSA to significantly increase activity, particularly in furthering market development measures designed to increase the value of products derived from the recycling of wastes tyres.

“Matt brings a decade of experience in waste and resource management. In his new role as CEO, all of this experience and knowledge will be invaluable to furthering TSA’s goals and objectives.” Set up to tackle the escalating problem posed by around 50 million tyres requiring disposal every year in Australia, the tyre stewardship program has been managed by representatives from across the tyre supply chain including manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and collectors, and is backed by the Australian Motor Industry Federation and the Minerals Council of Australia.

The scheme is authorised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and has received support from federal and state and territory governments.

Funding is being raised with a levy of 25 cents on every new tyre sold in Australia.

According to TSA, the funds are being ploughed into industry and consumer education, independent auditing designed to eradicate dirty, unsafe and illegal practices, and research and development on new uses for the recycled raw materials.