TIA issues lead wheel weight best practices

June 3, 2011

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has created an Environmental Best Practices on how to transition away from lead wheel weights. This document is available to all TIA members by logging into the “Members-Only” section of www.tireindustry.org.

It describes procedures to follow in transitioning away from lead wheel weights and the precautions that should be followed to ensure the proper handling, management and recycling of existing lead wheel weights. It is the first of an anticipated series of Best Practices, which will cover issues such as scrap tires, used oil, fluids (such as antifreeze, brake fluid, degreasers, etc.) and batteries.

“As part of our commitment to helping to make the tire industry more ‘green,’ we are proud to be launching the first of a number of Environmental Best Practices on the important issue of how to transition away from lead wheel weights,” says Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president. “The creation of this document is a great way to launch the new TIA Environmental Library, and I hope all our members will access it to learn ways to become more environmentally responsible.”

TIA has also created the TIA Environmental Library, an online site that will hold these Environmental Best Practices documents, along with video and audio clips from last year’s TIA Environmental Symposium. All TIA members can access the library and its contents free of charge.

“The TIA Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) sees the creation of this first Environmental Best Practices document as the logical continuation of our work to make being ‘green’ more practical and profitable for those in the tire industry. We encourage everyone who is not currently a member of TIA to join, so they can take advantage of great benefits like this,” says TIA EAC Co-Chair Dick Gust.