
August 25th, Washington, DC - In a decision issued today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reversed its 2005 decision and accepted a petition from a dozen environmental and public health organizations to immediately begin rulemaking to ban lead wheel balancing weights. Lead in wheel weights represents one of the largest unregulated uses of lead in consumer products today. These wheel weights are used to balance vehicle tires so they don't vibrate as they spin. In a separate action today, EPA reached a settlement of a lawsuit to fix a flawed rulemaking to deal with the largest source of lead poisoning - lead in paint from renovation, repair and painting activities. Read More
Download Letter Granting Petition
Read EPA Press Announcement
July 15, 2009 - EPA has published a Federal Register Notice ackowledging receipt of our petition to ban lead wheel weights and has opened a 15 day comments period. Comments are due by July 30, 2009. During this comment period anyone can submit comments in support of the the lead wheel weight ban. In addition, EPA has requested additional information on several specific subjects(see below).
To file electronic comments go to: http://www.regulations.gov
Then enter EPA Docket Number: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0467 in the search box.
Follow directions for submitting comments or documents into the official docket.
Comments by mail:
Document Control Office (7407M)
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.
Washington, DC 20460-0001
In particular, EPA seeks information on the following:
May 28, 2009 - The Ecology Center, Sierra Club and broad coalition of groups have filed a formal petition asking EPA to ban the use of lead wheel weights in the U.S. starting in January 1, 2011. If the petition is accepted, EPA will open up a comment period during which comments in support of the petition may be filed with EPA. Read Press Release
2009 TSCA Peition Documents:On May 17, 2005 the Ecology Center filed a previous citizens petition under the federal Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) asking EPA to develop rules which would ban the sale of lead wheel weights in the U.S. The petition, which received support from the Governor of Maine; state officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin; and the Steel Manufacturers Association, could have led to the establishment of a national lead wheel weight phase-out timeline. However, on August 8, 2005 EPA rejected the petition citing inadequate information on exposure and risk associated with lead wheel weights. The previous petition and supporting documents are listed below.
On May 12 Maine became the second state to enact a comprehensive ban on lead weights. LD 986 bans installation of lead (and mercury) weights January 1, 2010.
On April 28th Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law the first comprehensive ban on the use of lead wheel weights in North America. The legislation, HB 1030, requires the use of lead free wheel weights starting on January 1, 2011. Download the bill. Read about the law in the Spokesman-Review.
California - Senate Bill 763 Download
Requirements: Bans installation of lead weights upon passage
Iowa - House File 384 Download
Requirements: Prohibits installation of lead weights July 2010
Maine - LD 986 Download
Requirements: Bans installation of lead (and mercury) weights January 1, 2010
Maryland - House Bill 763 Download
Requirements: Bans installation of lead weights January 2011 State for Fleet
Vehicles; January 1, 2012 for Used Vehicles; January 1, 2013 for New Vehicles
Vermont - Act 193 Enacted into Law June 7, 2008 Download
Requirments: Bans installation of lead weights on Vermont state fleet vehicles
January 1, 2010; September 1, 2011 for new vehicles
IRVINE, CA – The University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) announced plans to replace lead wheel weights from the tires in its fleet. The university is following in the footsteps of fellow California government fleet, Contra Costa County, recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to voluntarily remove more than 2,000 lbs. of lead from its fleet by 2012. Read More
Check out the rapidly growing list of distributors and retailers of lead-free weights...
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...
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...
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...
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)