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Lead wheel weights
Chrysler, Wheel Weight Makers Agree to Eliminate Lead
Oakland, CA - The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) today announced it has reached a legal agreement with Chrysler and the three largest producers of automobile wheel bearing weights, requiring the companies to end the use of leaded wheel weights in California by the end of 2009. The landmark agreement marks the first-ever legally binding statewide rule phasing out lead in wheel weights in the U.S., and will end the annual release of 500,000 pounds of lead into the environment in California, which occurs when wheel weights break off of automobile wheels. Read more...
Lead isn't dead, but steel is the real deal
From www.tirebusiness.com - The majority of wheel weights are still made of lead. That won’t last forever, however. Environmental concerns are changing the landscape of this once unchanging and seemingly unalterable market because lead is a highly toxic chemical targeted for reduction by the Environmental Protection Agency. Read more...
Industry's still moving to get lead out of wheel weights
From www.moderntiredealer.com - WASHINGTON-The tire distribution business may not be hurrying to get the lead out of wheel balancing weights, but it definitely is moving in that direction. BADA, the wheel weight manufacturing division of La Vergne, Tenn.-based Hennessy Industries Inc., has launched a Web site, www.steelwheelweights.com, that touts the environmental benefits of steel wheel weights in general and BADA's steel weights in particular. Read more...
Legal Action Cites Chrysler, Producers for Continuing Use of Lead-Based Wheel Weights
Oakland, CA - The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) today initiated legal
action to stop the sale of lead-based wheel weights in the state of
California, due to the threat of lead pollution to the state's waterways
from wheel weights that fall from cars and trucks. CEH notified
the major producers of wheel weights and Chrysler, a leading auto maker,
that the lead-based weights are illegal under state's safe drinking
water law. While other auto makers have eliminated or are moving away
from the use of lead wheel weights, Chrysler continues to use the
lead-polluting product for most of its new U.S. car models. Read more...
Download CEH Report: Polluted Highways, Poisoned Waters: Lead in Wheel Balancing Weights" (pdf)
Washington State Considers Requiring Use of Alternatives To Lead Wheel Weights (February 2007):
The House Select Committee on Environmental Health held a hearing on February 22nd on a bill which would eventually ban the use of lead wheel balancing weight on light -duty vehicles in Washiington State. The bill would:
- Establish an advisory committee to identify and make available to tire distributors and retailers by September 1, 2007, an approved list of environmentally preferred alternatives to lead wheel weights; and
- Require replacement of lead wheel weights for passenger vehicles and light trucks with lead-free alternatives beginning January 1, 2008, for state-owned vehicles, January 1, 2009 for all used vehicles registered in Washington state, and January 1, 2010, for all new vehicles registered in Washington state.