New York Close to Lead Weight Ban

New York is poised to be the next state to formally ban lead wheel weights, reveals Tire Review. The state assembly, by a 79-20 vote, passed Assembly Bill 8687B, which would effectively ban the use of lead wheel weights as of 1 April, 2011. The bill moves on to the New York State Senate, where passage is expected. The bill may even make it to Governor David Paterson’s desk for signature by the end of this week.

Specifically, the bill would ban any person or company from distributing, selling or balancing a tyre with a wheel weight containing more than 0.1 per cent lead by weight. The Assembly bill would also ban OE fitment of lead wheel weights, as of 1 April, 2012.

If the ban becomes law, New York would join Illinois, California, Washington, Maine and Vermont, which all passed anti-lead weight laws within the last year. Illinois just passed its ban in May.