Codelco takes major step in mining tyre REP Law compliance through agreement with Neuvol
In compliance with the Extended Producer Responsibility Law (REP Law) and its commitments to the circular economy, Codelco signed an agreement with Neuvol, Chile’s first collective management system for used tyres (UT) and end-of-life tyres (ELTs), to add value to this key input for its operations.
The first milestone of the alliance was the processing of the first 47.52 tons of Category A ELTs – with rim diameters smaller than 57 inches – from mining equipment at Chuquicamata Underground. These tyres were recovered and valorised through a management company partnered with Neuvol in the northern part of the country. With this, the Corporation became the first major mining company in Chile to recycle ELTs of this category under the REP Law.
“This model has the potential to be replicated in other Codelco divisions,” says Pablo Contreras, Climate Action Manager at the state-owned company. “We are making significant progress in implementing a circular economy, in line with our purpose of being a pillar of sustainable development in Chile and the world,” adds Contreras, referring to the corporate goal of recycling and/or recovering 65% of its non-hazardous waste by 2030.
The project’s benefits are diverse. Among them, says Fernando Promis, Community Affairs and Sustainability Manager for Codelco’s Northern Operations, is the clearing of the area where the end-of-life tyres were stored, which allows for the continued operation of the underground mine’s processes. “We have achieved a solution that will also impact future tire generation, without having to store them for long periods,” explains Promis.
For Neuvol, this initiative represents a strategic step forward, marking its first agreement with a large-scale mining company. “The management of end-of-life tyres represents one of the most significant environmental challenges for the industry. This agreement demonstrates that it is possible to move from commitment to concrete measures, effectively integrating large-scale mining into collective systems,” says Manuel Castillo, Deputy Operations Manager at Neuvol.
For his part, Rodolfo Poblete, General Manager of Neuvol, emphasises that “the agreement with Codelco is a very important signal for the system and for the mining sector as a whole. It is not just about joining, but about taking action with traceability, effective value-added processing, and a model that can be replicated in other divisions and companies. As a management system, this achievement reinforces Neuvol’s commitment to the effective implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law and the development of a circular economy on a national scale.”
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