TIA Welcomes Decision Not To Ban Lead Weights

Months after the End of Life Vehicle Directive led to the banning of lead balancing weights for passenger cars in the EU, discussions on the subject continue in the US.

Most recently the US Tire Industry Association (TIA) issued a statement saying it applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) denial of the Ecology Center’s petition for a ban on lead wheel weights. EPA cited “insufficient data” as the reason they will not move ahead on a lead wheel weight ban at this time.

“EPA reinforced what TIA has said all along…there is no data proving a significant risk,” said Becky MacDicken, TIA’s director of government affairs. “This is not to say that in the future the EPA won’t produce other data and proceed at that time with a rulemaking to ban the use of lead wheel weights, but it is a victory.”

TIA has been in meetings with the EPA for the last two years on this issue. TIA has stated that without sound science the Association could not support a ban on lead. The EPA remains concerned about lead in the environment because about 21 million pounds of used lead goes unaccounted for each year according to their research. The EPA said that it is worried the lead is ending up in our nation’s water, land and roadsides as the result of improper recycling, the reusing of used weights and use by hobbyists.

“The market seems to be moving away from lead on its own without the need for a ban,” stated Dick Gust, TIA president. “TIA will continue to work with the EPA on this issue to gather facts and find other alternatives.”