New Jersey has proposed a ban on lead and mercury wheel balance weights for all vehicles within the state, including passenger and commercial vehicles. If passed, New Jersey would become the eighth state to enact a ban on lead wheel balance weights.
The law as proposed would provide a 180-day grace period from the date of enactment for businesses within the state to comply, the shortest grace period allotment from any state with a lead law to date.
The proposed legislation follows the state of Minnesota, which proposed and passed its lead and mercury based wheel balance weight law in mid-2014. Minnesota’s law has a 19-month grace period and a compliance date of Jan.1, 2016.
“As more and more states transition away from lead wheel weights, it is important for businesses in every state to ensure that they are partnered with reputable and experienced suppliers that can help them through a transition if or when it happens in their state,” says Gregory Parker, marketing manager for Wegmann automotive USA Inc.
Wegman manufactures the Perfect Equipment and Hofmann Power Weight brand wheel balance weights and is the North American subsidiary of Wegmann automotive Holdings GmbH of Germany.
New Jersey introduced the partisan assembly bill (NJA4201) on Feb. 23 and it was referred to the state’s Assembly Environmental and Solid Waste Committee for review.
