Recently, several states in the United States have implemented multiple policies to improve product safety and reduce the environmental impact of consumer and industrial products. However, regulatory agencies and legislators in California, Washington State, Vermont and other states with strong environmental awareness are dissatisfied with the effect of current policies and hope to further protect their natural resources and prevent people from being harmed by toxic substances contained in products, so they have tightened existing laws. For example, the sale of products containing harmful chemicals and heavy metals is further prohibited. Among them, California, Maine, Vermont and Washington state have completely banned the use of lead wheel balance weights. Wheel balance weights are mainly used to balance wheels and prevent abnormal vibration of the wheels when driving at high speeds.
Washington State enacted legislation (HB 1033) on April 28. Starting from January 1, 2011, anyone who replaces a wheel or installs a balance weight on a wheel must use a more environmentally friendly wheel balance weight, that is, the attention of the balance weight. Chemical and metal content shall not exceed 0.5% by weight.
The above legislation aims to prevent lead-containing wheel balance weights from posing a threat to the environment. Fragments of lead-containing wheel balance weights are scattered on the road when vehicles are driving, affecting the health of pedestrians, contaminating soil, groundwater and water surfaces, posing a threat to downstream aquatic life. It is well known that lead is harmful to human body, especially children's health.
Maine also implemented similar measures on May 12. In addition to prohibiting the use of lead-containing wheel balance weights, the law also extended the ban to wheel balance weights containing mercury, which came into effect on January 1, 2011. In addition, starting January 1, 2012, the state banned new vehicles from being equipped with any lead or mercury wheel balance weights or other products used as balance wheels.
In addition, Vermont completely banned lead-containing products last year, and banned the use of lead-containing wheel balance weights in state vehicles on January 1, 2010, and expanded it to all new vehicles from September 1, 2011. In addition, the relevant legislation also includes regulations on the control of children's products, which are similar to some of the implemented provisions of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. In addition, the state has also banned the sale of piping solder and non-residential paint and primer that contain excessive amounts of lead starting from January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011 respectively.
The California Senate passed a bill (SB 757) on May 18 that will prohibit the manufacture, sale, and assembly of wheel balance weights containing more than 1% lead. Violators must pay administrative and civil fines of up to $2,500 per case per day.
In fact, the use of lead-containing wheel balance weights has raised concerns from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The bureau launched a voluntary national lead-free wheel balance program in August 2008 to encourage private organizations to introduce lead-free wheel balance weights and reduce lead emissions by 2011. In addition, the Center for Ecology, the environmental group Sierra Club, the Center for Environmental Health, and others petitioned the EPA on May 28 to impose a complete ban on manufacturing, processing, and distribution under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act. Leaded wheel balance weights. Other groups made similar appeals to the Environmental Protection Agency in May 2005, but they were rejected three months later.
In other states, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas signed a bill on June 2 to ban the use of deca-PBDEs in certain types of consumer products. According to this legislation, the state will prohibit the sale or distribution of products containing pentabromodiphenyl ethers (penta-PBDEs) or octabromodiphenyl ethers (octa-PBDEs) from July 1, 2010; From 2012 Starting from July 1, 2009, the sale or distribution of televisions or computers containing decabromodiphenyl ether in plastic casings is prohibited (except for inventory purchased before July 1, 2009). These restrictions do not apply to the sale or resale of used products, or to automobiles or parts used in automobiles.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in many types of household products, including electronic products, furniture fabrics and furniture. It is generally believed that pentabromodiphenyl ether and octabromodiphenyl ether are the most toxic among the diphenyl ether categories, while decabromodiphenyl ether is weaker and therefore has a wider range of uses.
– Reference source: HKTDC 2009-06-19
