EPA decides not to proceed with regulating lead weights for wheel balancing
21 December 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided not to proceed with the development of a regulation addressing the manufacture, processing, or distribution in commerce of lead for wheel-balancing weights (lead wheel weights) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
This action relates to a citizen petition filed with the Agency in 2009. The 2009 petition, which EPA granted, asked EPA to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to regulate the manufacturing, processing, or distribution in commerce of lead wheel weights. In 2023, the same parties filed a petition for a writ of mandamus that sought to compel EPA to initiate the rulemaking proceeding requested in the 2009 petition.
After reviewing the information submitted in response to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) issued in April 2024 and EPA’s technical analysis thereof, EPA has decided not to proceed with the development of a proposed rule.
EPA’s analysis shows that risks to children from lead wheel weights are significantly lower than described in the petition EPA received on this issue in 2009. Specifically, EPA estimates that dust from lead wheel weights represents an extremely small fraction of a child’s overall residential lead exposure, even if the residence is near busy roads.
EPA also found that since the petition was filed, nine US states and Canada have banned lead wheel weights, and EPA was informed that vehicle manufacturers no longer install lead wheel weights on new vehicles sold in the US.
Lead wheel weights are used to correct imbalances in the weight distribution of motor vehicle wheels. Lead is a component of many existing wheel weights, though alternatives such as steel, zinc alloy and plastic-metal composite are now widely available, and according to information received by EPA, lead wheel weights are no longer used on new vehicles in the United States.
Lead wheel weights that separate from vehicle wheels or are not disposed of properly may be worn down into fine particles by traffic. Lead particles may then be released into the air as part of roadway dust and migrate to nearby homes. Children living nearby can be exposed if they ingest lead particles in soil or dust.
Addressing potential remaining exposures from lead continues to be a high priority for EPA, as reflected in EPA’s announcement that “Lead and Lead Compounds” is on its list of candidate chemical substances currently being considered for future prioritization actions under TSCA.
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