Is it illegal to dump old tyres, and what are the penalties?
Short answer: Yes, illegally dumping tyres is an offence in every Australian state and territory, typically under environmental protection or litter legislation, and penalties can be significant — ranging from on-the-spot fines for smaller amounts to substantial court-imposed penalties for large-scale or repeat dumping, particularly where dumped tyres create a fire or environmental hazard.
Recovering scrap steel from tyre processing? List it once and let verified buyers make real offers.
List Free →Why penalties can be severe
Dumped tyres create genuine public safety and environmental risks — fire hazards, mosquito breeding grounds, and land contamination are all reasons regulators treat tyre dumping more seriously than ordinary litter.
What counts as illegal dumping
Leaving tyres on public land, in bushland, or on someone else’s property without authorisation all typically qualify — this includes leaving tyres at a collection point outside of authorised hours or in quantities beyond what’s permitted.
The legitimate alternative
The disposal fee charged by a licensed recycler is the legal cost of proper disposal — while it may feel like an avoidable expense, it’s substantially lower than the risk of a dumping penalty if caught.
How ScrapTrade Fits In
Choosing a properly licensed disposal path also tends to be the path most likely to actually recover and sell any recoverable scrap steel — material that can end up listed on ScrapTrade rather than wasted in an illegal dump.
If your tyre recycling or disposal process recovers scrap steel, ScrapTrade connects that material with verified buyers through escrow-protected payments and transparent weighing.
List or Find Scrap on ScrapTrade →