Bonn, April 14, 2026. The new EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 is bringing about a fundamental transformation in the waste management industry. What was previously often handled via opaque export channels will now be subject to strict controls, digital documentation requirements, and clear environmental standards. For tire retailers, automotive businesses, and car dealerships, this means that selecting the right waste disposal partner will become a core business responsibility. From May 21, 2026, new, comprehensive regulations will apply to the cross-border shipment of waste. The aim is to curb illegal disposal practices and strengthen the circular economy within Europe. Of particular relevance: Waste – including used tires – may only be exported under strictly defined conditions. For businesses that regularly dispose of used tires, this increases the risk of indirectly becoming involved in illegal disposal practices by choosing an unsuitable waste management provider. This is because the requirements for documentation, tracking, and environmental standards are being significantly tightened.
Careful selection of waste disposal company is crucial
Tire retailers and automotive businesses should increasingly focus on collaborating with certified and transparent waste disposal companies. Key criteria include:
- Verifiable recycling routes within Europe
- Complete documentation of material flows
- Compliance with the new digital reporting and documentation requirements
- Avoiding opaque export solutions
The partners of the ZARE initiative (Certified Used Tire Disposal Companies) have been demonstrating for years how responsible disposal works in practice: with clear quality standards, transparent processes and a consistent focus on high-quality recycling instead of short-term disposal solutions.
Waste disposal companies are facing a strategic realignment
The new regulation also brings profound changes for waste disposal companies themselves. Export-oriented business models, in particular, come under pressure.
- Additional audit requirements for exports are planned from 2027 onwards.
- Exports to non-OECD countries are being severely restricted.
- Digital processes make all material flows transparent and traceable.
Waste management companies are therefore required to critically examine their existing export routes and increasingly rely on European recycling structures. Mechanical and high-quality recycling processes within the EU are gaining significant importance. ZARE partners have already embarked on this path and have been committed for years to transparent, audited, and environmentally sound disposal and recycling processes within regulated markets.
Europe as the center of the circular economy
The new regulation pursues a clear goal: to keep valuable materials within Europe as much as possible and to recycle them in a high-quality manner. This opens up opportunities for the industry:
- More stable raw material availability
- Expansion of modern recycling capacities
- Strengthening sustainable business models
The EU Waste Shipment Regulation 2024/1157 marks a turning point. It creates greater transparency, raises environmental standards, and puts an end to unfair competitive advantages gained through illegal export practices. For tire retailers, workshops, and car dealerships, this means more than ever: choosing the right waste disposal partner is not just a matter of cost – it's a matter of legal certainty and accountability. For waste disposal companies, the new legislation means:
Only those who rely on transparent, European and environmentally sound recycling methods will be viable in the future.
Final note:
Companies that prioritize certified quality and transparent disposal will find reliable partners in the ZARE initiative network (www.zertifizierte-altreifenentsorger.de). At the same time, responsible waste management companies are invited to join this network and actively contribute to the further development of a sustainable circular economy.
About the ZARE initiative
The ZARE initiative is an association of 16 companies organized within the German Federal Association of Tire Dealers and Vulcanizers (BRV). The ZARE partners have made it their mission to raise awareness of proper tire recycling in Germany. ZARE informs motorists about environmentally sound disposal of used tires. With 26 locations, the ZARE partners provide almost nationwide coverage in Germany and the Netherlands.
The partners of the initiative are:
Bender Reifen Recycling GmbH, Containertransporte Wesseler GmbH, CVS Reifen GmbH, Danninger OHG Spezialtransporte, Erwin Welzenbach Spedition GmbH, G & K Recycling Utsch GmbH, Hartung Speditions-, Handels- und Transport GmbH, HRV GmbH, KARGRO BV, KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH, Mondo Reifenmarkt GmbH, MRH Mülsener Rohstoff- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Reifen DRAWS GmbH, Reifen Külshammer, Reifengruppe Ruhr, REIFEN OKA – Reifenhandel
Download
press release as Word document
press release as PDF file
