Southern Cone

Chile

Chile generates about 140,000 tonnes of end-of-life tires a year, and when the tire decree was published only about 17% were managed in an environmentally sound way. Municipal waste exceeds 9 million t/yr; about 95% of household waste goes to landfills or dumps, and effective recycling is below 5%. Mining produces a distinct stream of giant OTR tires whose REP target jumps to 75% in 2027.

Regulatory framework

The rules that shape the business

Ley 20.920 2016 In force

Ley Marco para la Gestión de Residuos, la Responsabilidad Extendida del Productor y Fomento al Reciclaje (Ley REP)

Framework law published 1 June 2016 creating Extended Producer Responsibility for six priority products (including tires and packaging); targets are set by supreme decree per product.

View regulation · economiacircular.mma.gob.cl

Decreto Supremo 8/2019 (MMA) 2019 In force

Decreto que establece metas de recolección y valorización y otras obligaciones asociadas de neumáticos

Sets targets for tire importers/producers. Category A (rim < 57", except 45/49/51"): 50% collection and 25% valorization in 2023, rising to 80%/60% in year 4 (2026) and 90%/90% in year 8 (2030). Category B (mining tires: 45, 49, 51 and ≥57" rims): 25% valorization in 2023, 75% in 2027 and 100% in 2030.

View regulation · carey.cl

Decreto Supremo 12 (MMA) 2021 In force

Decreto de metas para envases y embalajes (Ley REP)

Sets collection and valorization targets for packaging, including plastics; the Ministry approved 9 packaging management systems in 2023.

View regulation · prieto.cl

Ley 21.368 (modificada por Ley 21.691) 2021 In force

Ley que limita la generación de productos desechables y regula los plásticos de un solo uso

Published 13 Aug 2021; regulates single-use plastics and plastic bottles. Law 21.691 (2024) extended the single-use obligations to 13 Feb 2026.

View regulation · cuatrecasas.com

Decreto Supremo 29/2013 (MMA) 2013 In force

Norma de emisión para incineración, coincineración y coprocesamiento

Published 12 Sep 2013 (repeals DS 45/2007); sets emission limits (PM, CO, SO2, NOx, TOC, dioxins/furans as TEQ), and its definition of incineration covers combustion of gases produced by pyrolysis or gasification.

View regulation · mma.gob.cl

Ley 20.780, art. 8 (mod. Ley 21.210) 2014 In force

Impuesto verde a fuentes fijas (art. 8), modificado por Ley 21.210

Taxes facilities emitting ≥100 t/yr of PM or ≥25,000 t/yr of CO2; the base CO2 rate is US$5 per tonne. Law 21.210 (2020) allowed emissions to be offset with reduction projects.

View regulation · carey.cl

Decreto Supremo 4/2023 (MMA) 2023 In force

Reglamento del Sistema de Compensación de Emisiones del impuesto verde

Lets green-tax payers offset PM, NOx, SO2 and CO2 with certified reduction projects for the same pollutant.

View regulation · carey.cl

Ley 21.455 2022 In force

Ley Marco de Cambio Climático

Sets a greenhouse gas emissions neutrality target for 2050 and the climate change management instruments.

View regulation · diarioconstitucional.cl

Ley 20.698 2013 In force

Ley 20/25 de Energías Renovables No Convencionales

Requires companies withdrawing power from systems above 200 MW to source 20% from non-conventional renewables by 2025 (biomass qualifies).

View regulation · energias-renovables.com

Context

The residue, in figures

~140.000 t/yr (~6,6 million de tires sold/yr)

End-of-life tires generated

2021 · elmostrador.cl

~17%

ELTs managed in an environmentally sound way (pre-REP)

2021 · mch.cl

80% collection / 60% recovery

REP tire targets, category A, in 2026 (year 4)

2026 · carey.cl

>9 million t/yr

Municipal solid waste

2026 · cpichile.org

~95% (effective recycling <5%)

Household waste to landfills or dumps

2026 · cpichile.org

103 (34)

Final disposal sites (of which sanitary landfills)

2026 · cpichile.org

Tire management systems approved by the Ministry

2023 · prieto.cl

Incentives

The green tax (US$5/t CO2; also levied on PM, NOx and SO2) has allowed offsets through certified reduction projects since 29 Sep 2023 (DS 4/2023), which gives value to projects that displace fossil fuels or avoid emissions. The REP law makes producers fund tire valorization, creating paid demand for treatment. In 2024 Congress debated a temporary green-tax surcharge on power generators (excluding biomass); whether it was finally enacted is not verified.

Which technology fits Chile

Priority feedstock: Category A end-of-life tires and mining OTR tires (category B); as a complement, forestry residues for biochar.
Why: The REP targets in force (80% collection and 60% valorization in 2026; 75% for mining tires from 2027) exceed installed treatment capacity, and pyrolysis turns tires into recovered carbon black, oil and steel.

PYR

Pyrolysis

From end-of-life tires to products with a market.

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Carbonization

Biochar to a controlled specification from biomass.

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Sources consulted

Reference information compiled from public sources as of October 2026. It is not legal advice; confirm each regulation is current before making decisions.

Verification level: High

Other countries in the region

Argentina Uruguay Paraguay

Projects and proposals

Tell us what residue you have and what you want to obtain.

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