Environmental Regulation of Waste Tyres and Watercourse Blockages

Authority	Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Date received	2026-01-20
Outcome	Some information sent but part exempt
Outcome date	2026-01-30
Case ID	5242521

Summary

A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the regulation, disposal, and enforcement of waste tyres and watercourse blockages on the Isle of Man. The authority responded with a partial disclosure, stating that some information was sent while other parts were exempt, though the specific content of the disclosure is cut off in the provided text.

Key Facts

The request was submitted under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
The authority handling the request is the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA).
The outcome of the request is classified as 'Some information sent but part exempt'.
The response was issued on 30 January 2026, ten days after the request was received.
The request covered topics including licensing, environmental standards, fly-tipping statistics, and export arrangements for waste tyres.

Data Disclosed

2026-01-20
2026-01-30
5242521
6
1
Freedom of Information Act 2015

Original Request

I am submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 regarding the regulation, disposal and enforcement of matters relating to waste tyres, watercourse obstruction and environmental protection on the Isle of Man. I would be grateful if you could confirm DEFA's specific responsibilities in relation to the storage, disposal and regulation of waste tyres, and how these responsibilities are divided between DEFA, the Department of Infrastructure and local authorities. If any internal guidance, policy documents or frameworks exist that set out these responsibilities, I would appreciate copies or summaries. I would also like to understand what approved methods or facilities currently exist on the Island for the storage, disposal, recycling or export of waste tyres. Please confirm whether any contractors or companies are authorised to handle waste tyres, and whether the Isle of Man exports tyres off‑Island for processing. If so, I would be grateful for details of the arrangements. In addition, I would appreciate clarification on whether individuals or businesses require a licence or permit to store, transport, process or dispose of waste tyres. If licensing is required, please provide information on the relevant licence types, the conditions attached to them, any associated fees and the number of active licences currently in force. I am also seeking information on the environmental standards and assessments used by DEFA in relation to tyre storage, including any guidance on risks such as chemical leaching, groundwater contamination and fire hazards. If any environmental impact assessments or studies have been carried out on tyre storage or disposal on the Isle of Man, I would appreciate copies or summaries. I would also like to know how DEFA monitors compliance with tyre‑related waste regulations. For the last five years, please confirm how many inspections have been carried out and how many enforcement actions, warnings, notices or prosecutions have been issued in relation to tyre storage, transport or disposal. In relation to fly‑tipping, I would be grateful if you could confirm how many incidents involving tyres have been recorded in the last five years, how many resulted in enforcement action or prosecution, and what measures are currently in place to prevent or deter tyre‑related fly‑tipping. Finally, I would appreciate information on any current or upcoming policy reviews, consultations or legislative changes relating to tyre disposal or wider waste management. Please also confirm whether DEFA has any partnerships or agreements with UK‑based or other off‑Island organisations for tyre recycling or disposal. I would prefer to receive the information electronically via email. If any part of this request requires clarification, please let me know. If any information is withheld, please specify the exemption relied upon.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 5242521 30 January 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 20 January 2026, which states:

I would be grateful if you could confirm DEFA's specific responsibilities in relation to the storage, disposal and regulation of waste tyres, and how these responsibilities are divided between DEFA, the Department of Infrastructure and local authorities. If any internal guidance, policy documents or frameworks exist that set out these responsibilities, I would appreciate copies or summaries.

I would also like to understand what approved methods or facilities currently exist on the Island for the storage, disposal, recycling or export of waste tyres. Please confirm whether any contractors or companies are authorised to handle waste tyres, and whether the Isle of Man exports tyres off-Island for processing. If so, I would be grateful for details of the arrangements.

In addition, I would appreciate clarification on whether individuals or businesses require a licence or permit to store, transport, process or dispose of waste tyres. If licensing is required, please provide information on the relevant licence types, the conditions attached to them, any associated fees and the number of active licences currently in force.

I am also seeking information on the environmental standards and assessments used by DEFA in relation to tyre storage, including any guidance on risks such as chemical leaching, groundwater contamination and fire hazards. If any environmental impact assessments or studies have been carried out on tyre storage or disposal on the Isle of Man, I would appreciate copies or summaries.

I would also like to know how DEFA monitors compliance with tyre-related waste regulations. For the last five years, please confirm how many inspections have been carried out and how many enforcement actions, warnings, notices or prosecutions have been issued in relation to tyre storage, transport or disposal.

In relation to fly-tipping, I would be grateful if you could confirm how many incidents involving tyres have been recorded in the last five years, how many resulted in enforcement action or prosecution, and what measures are currently in place to prevent or deter tyre-related fly-tipping.

Finally, I would appreciate information on any current or upcoming policy reviews, consultations or legislative changes relating to tyre disposal or wider waste management. Please also confirm whether DEFA has any partnerships or agreements with UK-based or other off-Island organisations for tyre recycling or disposal.

Our response to your request is as follows:

Section 20 – Information accessible to applicant by other means While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee.

The information that you have requested is available here:

Isle of Man Government - Waste Regulation

The Isle of Man Government Waste Strategy 2025-2035, developed by the Department of Infrastructure, identifies the roles and responsibilities in Waste Management Function. Page six of the strategy provides a table which compares the roles and responsibilities of the Department of Infrastructure and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture in relation to waste management. Local Authorities are primarily responsible for household waste collection under the Public Health Act. Some collect commercial wastes voluntarily via the Civic Amenity Sites and charge for this service.

The Isle of Man Government Waste Strategy 2025-2035 can be found here:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/opqp/sittings/20212026/2025-GD- 0123.pdf

The register of sites licensed to deposit waste in accordance with the Public Health Act 1990 as regulated by DEFA can be found here:

https://www.gov.im/media/1391251/wdl_register_2026_v1.pdf

Those sites licensed to accept EWC 16 01 02, end of life tyres, can accept waste tyres. Licensed sites do not export tyres off-Island for processing.

Companies can arrange for the transfer of tyre waste to the UK for recovery. Export of waste to the UK must comply with the both the island’s and UK’s export and import of waste legislation.

Requirements for the export of waste to the UK are explained on the Department’s webpage:

https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/environment-food-and- agriculture/environment-directorate/environmental-protection-unit/waste- regulation/import-and-export-of-waste/

Information on licence requirements and application for a waste disposal licence can be found here for which there are no fees:

Isle of Man Government - Waste Disposal Licences

Food and Agriculture does not hold information on the environmental impact of tyre storage.

Licensed waste disposal sites are inspected and audited to verify compliance to the site’s licence conditions. Details regarding site inspections are explained on the Department’s website:

https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/environment-food-and- agriculture/environment-directorate/environmental-protection-unit/waste- regulation/waste-site-inspections/

There have been 112 site inspection conducted over the last five years. There have been no enforcement actions, warnings, notices or prosecutions issued in relation to tyre storage, transport or disposal.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is because there have been no reports and no enforcement action conducted by the Department regarding tyre-related fly-tipping, as fly-tipping is regulated by local authorities and the police particularly on highways and local authority land.

To offer advice and assistance, there have been eight incident reports of inappropriate disposal of tyres in the last five years.

The Department regulates illegal deposit of controlled waste on land deposited in accordance with s.57 of the Public Health Act. DEFA’s enforcement policy can be found here:

https://www.gov.im/media/303493/defa_enforcement_policy.pdf

The Isle of Man Government Waste Strategy 2025-2035, which has been developed by the Department of Infrastructure, can be found here:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/opqp/sittings/20212026/2025-GD- 0123.pdf

To offer advice and assistance, the Department is progressing with a new Environmental Protection Bill the results of a public consultation on which can be found here:

https://consult.gov.im/environment-food-and-agriculture/environmental-protection-bill/

To offer advice and assistance, you may wish to submit a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Infrastructure.

Please quote the reference number 5242521 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on:

Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely