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History
- Substituted by A8687B
- Ordered to third reading cal.1392
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Prohibits the sale and use of wheel weights containing lead
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S8020
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the sale and use of wheel weights containing lead
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill will prohibit the sale and use of wheel weights containing lead.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends the environmental conservation law by adding a new section 37-0113. This section prohibits the use or sale of lead wheel weights or vehicles equipped with such weights after April 1, 2011. It also defines "new motor vehicle", and "person."
Section two sets out the effective date.
Justification
Wheel weights are used in cars and trucks to keep the wheels balanced. If wheels are unbalanced, they vibrate and this can make the cars harder to handle as well as increase tire wear. The majority of wheel weights currently in use are clip ons that are attached at the edge of a wheel's rim. An average vehicle contains ten wheel weights (two on each of the four wheels and two more on the spare).
Most wheel weights are made up of 95 percent lead. Approximately 50 million pounds per year of lead is used worldwide in the manufacture of wheel weights. An average of 4.5 ounces of lead is clipped to the wheel rims of every car in the U.S. This amounts to 10-12.5% of vehicle lead use, excluding the lead-acid battery.
Many wheel weights are lost on the streets when cars hit curbs, potholes or barriers. It is estimated that about 13% of all wheel weights fall off a car while it is in motion. This results in the loss of about 1.6 million pounds of lead onto roads or in parking lots. When the weights fall off, they are pulverized by other cars and trucks which results in the spread of lead dust throughout the environment, including leaching into rain runoff and soil.
Dr. Robert A. Root (Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 108, Number 10. October 2000) has published a study documenting the rates at which lead weights fall off their host vehicles and are gradually abraded into lead dust. This study established that lead wheel weights are "a major source of lead exposure that heretofore has not been recognized." This is problematic since lead is extremely toxic and has been linked to
brain damage and other developmental and behavioral problems, especially in children.
Some tire dealers are already phasing out lead wheel weights and laws banning them have been enacted in California, Maine, Vermont and Washington. Many lead-free weights are produced in the U.S. and are made of substances such as zinc and steel alloy. Asian and European car makers have used lead alternatives for a number of years. Efforts have also been made to collect and recycle lead wheel weights at the end of a vehicle's life and about 75% are successfully recycled; 25% of the wheel weights remain at large in the environment, however.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.