WASHINGTON—The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association is urging further study into the environmental impact of 6ppd-quinone, a transformation product of the tire manufacturing additive 6ppd, by California and Washington state organizations.
The annual budget for 2022 passed in Washington includes about $2.7 million in funding for further study of 6ppd-quinone, which has been found to be fatal to coho salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest and specifically Puget Sound.
The USTMA is asking that the California Department of Toxic Substances and the Washington Department of Ecology collaborate on complementary research into 6ppd-quinone.
"USTMA encourages the state of Washington to use its newly allocated budget to fund research that will complement rather than duplicate the alternatives analysis already underway in California," the USTMA said in a news release. "There are still significant data gaps on 6ppd-quinone, and filling these gaps is crucial to identifying viable alternatives to 6ppd that not only reduce the environmental impact caused by 6ppd-quinone, but also meet required safety and performance standards in tires."
Within the $2.7 million allocated by the Washington state legislature, $1.4 million is for "monitoring and mitigation," while another $1.3 million is to study alternatives to the antioxidant additive 6ppd, which prevents cracking and heat buildup in tires and is essential to consumer safety.