AM welcomes tyre recycling research at Swansea University

3.39.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st Jun 2007

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has welcomed the news that engineers based in the Materials Research Centre at the university have secured Department of Trade and Industry funding to look into better ways of recycling old tyres.

Almost 50 millions tonnes of tyres are disposed of in the UK every year.

Mr Black said:-

"This is an excellent example of a Welsh university providing the research required so that Wales can take full advantage of the opportunities presented in developing new green technologies and businesses.

"Since July 2006 it has become illegal to dispose of used tyres in landfill sites, so the pressure is on to come up with better and more sustainable ways to recycle them.

"I only hope that the new Labour Minister for Economic Development, will take the necessary steps to ensure that any commercial enterprise that uses this research remains in Wales."