Foreword on rethink.retreads
Professor D Garel Rhys OBE Director, Centre for Automotive Industry Research, Cardiff University Business School.

It is supremely ironic that in a society supposedly interested in sustainable development and protecting the environment it is reluctant to support an activity that has a long term and honourable history and record of doing just that. Recycling is a major element in resource saving and environmental protection. One of the most advanced forms of recycling is the manufacture and use of retread tyres. Unfortunately because of myth and ignorance the use of retreads meets a high degree of customer resistance and corporate indifference. Hence the importance of the rethink.retreads campaign managed by The Wales Environment Trust under its CWMre (Creating Welsh Markets for recyclate) Initiative.

It will be a surprise to many to learn that retread tyres are used widely in extreme applications such as aeroplanes and heavy goods vehicles. This is the finest testimony to their quality, safety, economics and sheer value for money that can be given. The standards that retreads must meet are even more stringent than those for new tyres. The result is an excellent product. Retread tyres prove their cost-effectiveness in a multitude of uses and transport modes. The lower cost of a retread is no way offset by higher costs elsewhere. This is significant as in the road vehicle fleets only labour and fuel costs exceed those on tyres