Italian government requires retread purchases for public service agencies

BOLOGNA, Italy (Jan. 22)—Public service agencies in Italy must ensure that retreaded tires make up at least 20 percent of their replacement tire purchases, under new Italian legislation. The requirement covers all fleets of passenger cars as well as commercial and industrial vehicles, including privately held vehicles for public use. The Italian Tire Retread Association welcomed the regulation, which was passed in the Italian Parliament at the end of December. The group estimates that Italy's retreading industry processed 57,900 metric tons of used tires in 2000, the equivalent, it said, of nearly 60 million gallons of oil.