The Environment Agency said it is introducing enhanced checks on the export of tyres from the UK after the BBC revealed millions were being sent to furnaces instead of being recycled in India.
A report by the EA acknowledged it is "highly likely" that a proportion of exported tyres were diverted to illegal furnaces.
These makeshift industrial plants, intended to extract steel, small amounts of oil and other materials, can cause serious health problems and environmental damage.
Campaigners and the tyre recycling industry body welcomed the announcement but said the proposal will not close all loopholes exploited by criminals.
The UK generates about 50 million waste tyres (nearly 700,000 tonnes) every year. According to official figures, about half of these are exported to India, supposedly to be recycled.
