FAQ
System, Rules and Regulations
Ecopneus operates under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MEES). Ecopneus sends the Ministry a full financial and operative report. Internally, the activities are monitored by the Board of Statutory Auditors and the Supervisory Body.
In particular art. 228 of DL. 152/2006 and the MD 182/2019 state that tyre producers and importers are to annually manage an amount of ELTs equivalent to at least 95% of what they sold on the Italian spare part market during the previous year .
The End of Waste regulation is the process that allows waste to stop being classified as waste. In the case of ELTs, the recycled rubber that complies with the requisites of MD 78/2020 becomes Vulcanised Granular Rubber (VGR). This is a secondary raw material that can be used for other products.
Yes, there are. Ecopneus is the main collection system in Italy, but it is not the only one. There are other collection systems and individual operators authorised by the Ministry.
Eco-fees finance the whole ELT chain: collection, transportation, treatment and recovery, in addition to all activities of research, development and information. The use of eco-fees is annually reported to the MEES and it is published in the Sustainability Report.
Citizens and consumers
ELT is the acronym of End-of-Life Tyres. They are tyres that have terminated their main function and cannot be safely used anymore. Once they have been taken off a vehicle, tyres become waste and are to be correctly managed.
Old tyres are deposited at the tyre dealer’s and are subsequently collected by authorised operators. They are, then, taken to specialised plants where they are treated and recovered.
Eco-fees are an amount paid upon the purchasing of every new tyre. They are used to finance the management of ELTs. Eco-fees vary based on tyre typology and weight and their price is clearly listed in the invoice. For automobiles, eco-fees vary between 1.80 and 3.70 euros, whilst for industrial vehicles eco-fees can be more expensive.
No. The system provides for the collection of ELTs exclusively at authorised spare part operators (such as, tyre dealers). Members of the public cannot take ELTs directly to the collection centres .
Yes, it is safe and it undergoes strict controls. Recycled rubber can be used in several applications: sports surfaces, athletics tracks, antishock surfaces, rubberized asphalts, building soundproofing, urban furniture and industrial products .
It is necessary to contact the Council of competence. A memorandum is active in the provinces of Naples and Caserta that provides for an extra-ordinary ELT collection from the part of Ecopneus.