We don't think of lead as the environmental threat that it once was, but the use of lead wheel weights is detrimental to society's
water supply.
The wheel industry has been wrestling with regulations related to lead weights, and although this may not directly affect
some aftermarket suppliers, the wheel industry's consideration of alternative metals will affect raw material costs. Additionally,
those who work with wheel servicing equipment suppliers and tire installation shops will notice that the alternative metals
used for weight will affect the way service equipment works.
The goal of eliminating lead wheel weights is an outgrowth of regulations enacted in Europe in September of 2000. Called the
ELV Directive (2000/53/EC), these regulations are aimed at "reduction and control of hazardous substances in vehicles, in
order to prevent their release into the environment." The directive is focused on reducing the environmental impact of motor
vehicles at the end of their service life by, among other things, eliminating certain materials used to build the vehicle.
Although lead constitutes only about 4 percent (by weight) of the average vehicle, its significant impact on human health
makes it a primary target of the directive. Here in the U.S., an oft-cited peer-reviewed study published in 2000 by Robert Root, a senior research scientist (retired)
from the Battelle Memorial Institute, found that lead pollution from wheel weights "is continuous, significant, and widespread,
and is potentially a major source of human lead exposure." His research indicated that lead wheel weights dropped on city
streets are quickly ground into tiny particles that are easily washed into storm drains and then into local water supplies.
His measurements show that one year of lead accumulation at one specific intersection in his home town "would exceed the federal
lead hazard guidelines by more than 10,000 times."
One of the problems with finding alternatives to lead wheel weights is that lead, aside from the danger it poses to the environment,
is an ideal metal for its job. Other materials like aluminum, steel and zinc will require some adjustments.
"The push to change from lead weights to zinc plated steel weights exemplifies the current trend in environmentalism and
concern for our food supply," says Bruce Hartin, president of Allpart Supply and Haweka USA, companies that sell repair parts
for garage equipment. "The push to eliminate lead weights specifically represents concern for the water supply. Recent food
contamination scares in items like dog food and, more frighteningly, baby food can only accelerate this trend."
Hartin says the transition to zinc-plated weights is well established in Europe and he foresees it being a matter of time
until zinc wheel weights are mandated in the U.S.
In September 2008, California's Center for Environmental Health (CEH) reached "a legal agreement" with Chrysler and three
large wheel weight producers, requiring the companies to stop shipping lead wheel weights into the state by the end of 2009.
While Chrysler is probably the last carmaker to switch to non-leaded wheel weights for any of its new cars, it is now phasing
out the use of lead in 55 percent of the vehicles shipped to California. Three large wheel weight suppliers — Plombco, Hennessey
and Perfect Equipment — have agreed to stop shipping lead weights to California service shops by the time the ban takes effect
this year.
"A zinc-plated weight is less dense than a lead weight and thus must be larger in size to equal the same amount of weight,"
admits Hartin. "This creates two important issues with regard to balancing. The first is aesthetic. Will car owners be happy
with larger weights on their wheels? I can assure you the answer will be "no" for owners of aftermarket, custom and alloy
wheels."
A report published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2006 estimates there was about 65,000 tons of lead wheel weights in use
in this country in 2003.
