The claim

A video is supposed to show that used tires from Germany are disposed of in Africa by burning them here.

Our conclusion

This claim is false. The video comes from Kuwait, the cause of the fire was not “disposal” but arson.

Environmentalists are screaming at these images, while at the same time the government is being accused of moving a waste problem to another continent. A video that is supposed to show this “crazy” has been shared for a long time. If the video was first shared on social media platforms, it also made it to WhatsApp and is also further distributed here.

In the video you can see masses of tires burning. Black-gray, dense clouds rise from the fire. The text appears in the video (sic!): “While the combustion engine is being phased out in Germany, the used tires are being disposed of professionally in Africa!”

Screenshot WhatsApp / Video of burning tires
Screenshot WhatsApp / Video of burning tires

The video is often commented on on social media platforms with statements about questionable environmental protection and accusations against the government. On the one hand, “petrol, diesel and nuclear power would be abolished,” but “tires and garbage have been exported to Africa for decades.” People also often complain that this is never reported.

The reports on the video

Yes, it is reported. However, in a different context. This then shows at the same time that the statements about this video are false. The video does not come from Africa, and no old tires from Germany are burned here.

The video shows the fire at a tire cemetery in Salmi, Kuwait . In August 2021, “The Sun” on it and also published the video that is now making the rounds with incorrect labeling. However, this report was not up to date either, as the video was from April 2021.

On April 30, a Kuwaiti local council member, Ahmad Al Hadian, tweeted some photos of the fire. There is also a photo of the fire that can be seen in the video:

On April 30, a news site from Kuwait on the devastating fire. The fire broke out in Salmi on April 29, 2021 , and research into the cause pointed to arson.

Where do all the tires come from?

In the 1980s and 1990s, Kuwait made a business of importing scrap tires from other countries, importing 259 million of them annually from the United States and Europe until the practice  was banned by Kuwait's government .

Tires have not been exported from Germany for years, and since 2003 the landfilling of used tires has been banned in this country. Instead, these are recycled or burned in a controlled manner in special ovens, but unfortunately there are still illegal tire warehouses.

Conclusion

The video does not come from Africa, and no old tires from Germany are burned here.

The dumped tire fire occurred in Salmi, Kuwait on April 29, 2021. They were not set on fire for disposal purposes; the cause was arson.

Kuwait banned the import of tires back in 2001.

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )