Trelleborg Wheel Systems is using more environmentally friendly extender oils in its agricultural, forestry and industrial tire production.
"European Directive EC/2005/69 and the REACH Regulation EC/1907/2006 impose restrictions in the use of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in extender oils and tires," says the company, which uses extender oils "that comply with limits on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)."
(Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are traditionally used as plasticizers and compound viscosity reducers in the manufacturing of tires.)
According to European Union Directive 76/769/EEC, tires and treads for retreading manufactured after Jan. 1, 2010, may not be placed on the market if they contain extender oils exceeding more than 1 mg/kg BaP, or more than 10 mg/kg of the sum of all listed PAH.