ENTREPRENEURIAL Scotland has teamed up with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to explore new ventures through which waste tyres can be turned into viable business opportunities over the next five years.

The partnership, launched yesterday at the University of Strathclyde, is aimed at “eliminating the problem of waste tyres as an environmental issue in Scotland”.

ES said this year’s cohort of Saltire Fellows would explore potential new ventures involving waste tyres. The Saltire Fellowship programme is an intensive leadership development scheme targeted at “ambitious and entrepreneurially-minded individuals”. It is run by the Saltire Foundation, which merged with the Entrepreneurial Exchange network to form Entrepreneurial Scotland.

SEPA chief executive Terry A’Hearn said: “The most prosperous businesses in the 21st century will embed the importance of a circular economy.”

ES managing director James Stuart said: “Our Saltire fellows are without a doubt the right candidates to take on this challenge.”