Effective Jan. 1, Tire Steward British Columbia (TSBC), a not-for-profit organization that represents the majority of tire producers in B.C., took over the provincial program that collects and recycles scrap tires.

And with the change in management comes a change in fees.

In the past, dealers charged consumers an “eco-fee” of $3 per tire regardless of the size and type, which they then passed to the provincial program.

Now, consumers will pay an advance disposal fee that varies by tire type, which will be passed to TSBC.

For the vast majority of drivers who use standard tires, the fee will be $4 a tire, up $1 from what it was. But for truckers and others who use larger tires, fees per tire could be as high as $35.

TSBC chair Don Blythe explains the fee increase in a Jan. 2 press release.

“The FIRST program was sorely underfunded, and the government had to support it financially from time to time,” he said.

Consumers who will be affected the most will be logging and highway truck drivers, said Jim Checkley, owner of local tire dealer Kal Tire.

But, for the most part, the changes won’t make a big difference, he continued.

Michael Spak, Thornhill Motors parts manager, and Malcolm Scaife, owner of OK Tire and Auto Dealer, both agree consumers probably won’t be upset over the increase as it’s so little.

“A lot of people are environmentally conscious these days. It’s gone up one dollar per tire so I think people probably won’t say anything,” Scaife said of drivers who use ordinary tires.

The original provincial tire recycling program FIRST (Financial Incentives for Recycling Scrap Tires) started in 1991.

But it was a “total screw-up in the early 90s,” Checkley said.

It’s time the government passed the responsibility for tire waste to producers and sellers, he said.

“We are the ones who generate it so we are the ones who should look after it,” Checkley said. “Now, the industry is in charge as they should have been in the first place.”

Other changes that are part of the industry takeover include new programs for public education, research and development for recycled rubber markets, stockpile cleanup and a formal dispute-resolution process.

“British Columbia is fortunate that over 85% of its scrap tires are currently diverted from landfills. TSBC intends to improve on that percentage as well as address a number of other issues that have arisen as the old program evolved,” Blythe said.

“We believe the industry program is much more comprehensive and will ultimately lead to creating a sustainable solution for scrap tires, which benefits everyone and the environment,” he added.

TSBC members include the Retail Council of Canada, Western Canada Tire Dealers Association and Rubber Association of Canada.

The change in administration follows the provincial government’s policy of transferring the responsibility of product lifecycle management from government and taxpayers to industry and consumers.

For the new fee schedule and more information on Tire Stewardship B.C. and the changes, visit www.tirestewardshipbc.ca.