California law prompts tire makers' search for 6PPD replacements

Washington – The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has organised?a consortium of 16 tire manufacturers* to find alternatives for 6PPD in tires under California’s Safer Consumer Product Regulations (SCPR).

The move follows a decision by California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to act on USTMA’s recommendation to list 6PPD in tires as a ‘priority product’ under the state’s ‘safer consumer products’ (SCP) programme.

“This consortium will power a collaborative approach to the alternatives analysis process,” USTMA president and CEO Anne Forristall Luke explained in a 26 July release.?

The consortium, she said, aims to provide the most effective and exhaustive review possible of whether a safer alternative to 6PPD anti-degradant in tires currently exists.

“With the DTSC taking this action, we will continue our active and transparent work to complete the required alternatives analysis and collaborate with other stakeholders,” added Forristall Luke.?

The SCPR process is intended to provide a rigorous, transparent, scientific regulatory framework to determine whether potential 6PPD alternatives exist.

Any potential alternative identified “must provide equivalent tire safety and performance to 6PPD, while improving environmental metrics,” the association emphasised.

USTMA is working with federal and state regulatory bodies, material suppliers, academic and government research teams and others to advance research in this area and identify mitigation strategies. 

*Members include USTMA’s full members: Bridgestone Americas Inc.; Continental Tire the Americas LLC; Giti Tire (USA) Ltd; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Hankook Tire America Corp.; Kumho Tire USA Inc.; Michelin North America Inc.; Nokian Tyres Inc.; Pirelli Tire North America; Sumitomo Rubber Industries; Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., and Yokohama Tire Corp. and USTMA’s statistical affiliate members: Double Coin North America (CMA) LLC; Maxxis International USA; Nexen Tire America Inc.; and Sailun Tire Americas.