Industry-regulated green tyre standard launched in China

Trials of a new specification standard for eco tyres began in China on 1 March, the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) reports. Standard number XXZB/LT-102-2014, which was originally proposed by the association, is the Chinese tyre industry’s first self-regulating green tyre standard and is based on the draft the CRIA opened for industry comment between 27 December and 20 January.

The standard calls for the elimination of a number of potentially harmful substances from tyre manufacture by January 2015; these include, amongst others, high aromatic oils, rubber antioxidant D and rubber accelerators NOBS, TMTM, TMTD and DTDM. It also sets maximum emission levels for tyre production and encourages more environmentally production techniques.