7yremark' on the way
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by Steve McQueen and Amanda Bradbury • An organisation aiming to formalise safety standards for second-hand tyres is to be established in the New Year.
The body will be called the Recycled Tyre Association: retailer and repairer members will be identified with branded labelling similar to the Woolmark or Kitemark.
A code of practice has already been drawn up which will guarantee all part worn tyres to be inflation and water tested, with casings tested for integrity and subject to prod uct liability insurance.
Other require ments include agreements about clear identification of the tyres as part worn, random tyre testing, depth of tread, training and repair standards.
Members will pay a basic membership fee of at least £250 a year; but costs of belonging to the scheme could cost up to 41,000 annually.
But the president of the Independent Tyre Distributors Network, representing 420 sales outlets, dismisses the idea that members of the new body will charge more for second-hand tyres.
ITDN president Adrian Thomas says 50 dealers have signed up to be members of the Recycled Tyre Association: the UK second-hand market is estimated to be shared between at least 2,000 retailers.