GUYANA National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), noting that used tyres are one of the primary causes of road accidents, said it is for this and other reasons that the agency  is proposing a ban on their importation and use in this country. The Executive Director, Ms. Evadnie Enniss told a press conference, Wednesday, at its Sophia, Greater Georgetown Head Office, that, for some ten years now, GNBS, responsible for the importation and use of the tyres and seeing the need more and more, has been contemplating to recommend the prohibition.
Head of Standards Compliance Department, Mr. Shailendra Rai explained that the first reason for such action has to do with limited manpower and warranty.
He said inspectors are required to examine each tyre to ensure it meets general requirements and that is an uphill task to find such personnel and, at the same time, visual examination does not guarantee there are no defects.
The only way to determine the faults is to mount the tyre on a rim and inflate it, Rai said, adding that GNBS is not getting the cooperation of dealers to properly store the tyres.
He said the businesses often promise to address their non-conformities but follow-up visits by officers would find that they have not.
Rai said another problem encountered is that the sellers would sell all their tyres before they get to the warehouse where officers usually examine them and that makes the work more difficult for GNBS, as it would then have to trace the merchandise to whichever destination.
He mentioned, too, that the warranty on a new tyre is one or two years as compared to one or two days on a used one.
Rai said GNBS wants the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to be more vigilant and conduct spot checks so as to make sure that tyres are well beyond the requirements.
GNBS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Lloyd David pointed out that used tyres have many environmental impacts, including that they tend to deteriorate quickly and piles of them result in the blockage of drains and mosquitoes breeding.