New Zealand's first national tyre product stewardship scheme, Tyrewise, launched this year, is set to significantly reduce tyre waste.

The initiative seeks to repurpose more end-of-life tyres that currently end up in landfills, are stockpiled, or are illegally dumped, placing a burden on communities and councils.

As part of the scheme, consumers will pay a stewardship fee when purchasing new tyres.

From 1 March, this fee applies to tyres bought from retailers and newly imported vehicles, with the fee included at first registration.

The amount is $6.65 plus GST for a standard passenger car tyre weighing around 9.5kg.

The fee is designed to cover the costs of tyre collection and transportation, as well as to incentivise the recycling and repurposing of tyres into new products, such as tyre-derived fuel.

Starting 1 September, Tyrewise will become fully operational, meaning there will no longer be the ad hoc tyre disposal fees many retailers currently charge.

New Zealand currently repurposes only 40 per cent of the 6.5 million tyres that reach the end of their life each year.

With Tyrewise, the aim is to increase this figure significantly, with a target of 80 per cent repurposed by 2028, and over 90 per cent by 2030.

For residents on the Hibiscus Coast, the nearest tyre collection site is Less Waste in Warkworth.

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