Q: What is the Used Tires Program?
A: The Used Tires Program ensures every new tire that hits the road in Ontario will eventually be recycled into a useful product, driving innovation and developing green jobs while eliminating stockpiles of scrap tires.
Q: How does the program work?
A: This industry-led program has a network of collection points across Ontario where you can drop off your used tires, and be assured they will be reused, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
Q: What’s wrong with how used tires were handled before?
A: It’s how they weren’t handled before! Until the Used Tires Program, there was no formal used tire management program in Ontario. The costs and services associated with the current recycling process vary across the province.
The Used Tires Program encourages local processing, higher value recycling and innovation and stockpile clean up. Most importantly, it discourages illegal dumping.
Q: How much does the program cost?
A: The total annual program budget is $74 million. This includes an investment of $25 million into Ontario’s scrap tire recycling industry, and a program to clean up tire stockpiles around the province.
Q: Is the Used Tires Program free for consumers?
A: Yes. Consumers can drop off their old tires free of charge at one of the many registered collectors across the province. Link to registered collection sites here.
Q: How many tires can I bring to a collection site?
A: You can bring up to 4 tires per visit.
Q: What kind of tires can I bring?
A: Tires that are accepted include:
- Agricultural drive and logger skidder tires
- Medium truck tires
- Off the road tires
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Giant
- Passenger and light truck tires
- Small and large industrial tires
Q: How is the Used Tires program funded?
A: The program is funded by the industry. Organizations called Stewards that manufacturer tires in Ontario or are the first importers of tires into Ontario will pay a fee for each tire introduced into the marketplace.
Stewards will remit $5.84 per passenger tire and $14.65 per commercial (medium) truck tire. These fees will be used exclusively to pay for the program including collection, transportation, reuse and recycling, processing, research and development, and consumer education. None of the funds go to the government.
This fee covers the costs associated with the collection and recycling of all future scrap tires, as well as the over 2 million tires currently stockpiled in Ontario.
See the chart below to learn how the TSF for each passenger or light truck tire is spent in support of the effective management of tires from end of life to new products.
Q: Will the fees that the stewards are remitting be passed along to consumers?
A: Ontario Tire Stewardship has no authority over how much retailers charge for new tires and how they pass along the costs of the program to consumers. OTS does provide retailers registered with OTS information on the program benefits and operations to share with consumers. One primary benefit to consumers is that under the Used Tires Program consumers can now drop off up to four used tires with registered collectors – whether or not they are purchasing new tires – at no charge, eliminating the old scrap tire disposal fee that many consumers were familiar with.
Consumers can now be assured that there is a plan and process in place for both the used tires they drop off and the new tires they may be purchasing that will divert them from landfill or burying to responsible processing here in Ontario, and that any costs they see related to the Used Tires Program go entirely to ensuring that used tires are responsibly recycled in Ontario, that illegal dumping is eliminated and that tire piles in the Province are cleaned-up.
Q: What can I expect when I purchase a new tire in Ontario?
A: When you purchase a new tire you may or may not see a separate line-item on your receipt for the Tire Stewardship Fee (TSF). Ontario Tire Stewardship has no authority over how much retailers charge for new tires and how they pass along the costs of the program to consumers. The big difference with the program is now you can dispose of tires for free even if you’re not buying new ones.
Q: Where can I find more information on the Tire Stewardship Fee (TSF)?
A: Because Ontario Tire Stewardship has no authority over how much retailers charge for new tires, it is recommended you ask the retailer where you are purchasing your new tires from how the Tire Stewardship Fee (TSF) has been worked into the price of the tires or if it is going to be charged as a separate line-item on the bill. Consumers with questions about the TSF or how it has been applied on their purchase of new tires should contact OTS by phone or e-mail.
A: Q: Is this part of the new eco-fees I’ve heard about that started on July 1, 2010 and were cancelled on July 20, 2010?
A: No, this program is different and was officially launched in September of 2009. Tires were not included in the new eco-fees that were launched and then cancelled in July of 2010.
Q: I’d like to host a tire collection event. How do I do this?
A: Please send us an e-mail at for more details.
Q: I have a pile of tires that I’d like to get cleaned up. How do I do this?
A: Please send us an e-mail and for more details.
