California considers changed ZnO bill

Sacramento, California –  The California Senate Environmental Quality Committee is to consider an amended version of Assembly Bill 1180, which seeks to reduce the amount of zinc in stormwater.

Both the California Tire Dealers Association (CTDA) and US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) opposed the first version of AB 1180.

The CTDA dropped its objections after a provision to increase the state tire fee by $1.50 per tire was withdrawn, but the USTMA continued to oppose AB 1180 until very recently.

The USTMA's hostility to the bill stemmed mostly from a provision that would have required the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to designate tires that contain zinc as a priority subject of regulation under the state's Green Chemistry initiative.

"Zinc oxide is an ingredient in tires, and tires cannot be manufactured without its use," the USTMA said in an opposition statement. "The proposed amendments to AB 1180 employ the political process, not science, to regulate a substance used in tires."

The new version of AB 1180 veers away from tires toward a strict concentration on stormwater, particularly in the Los Angeles area, according to Dan Zielinski, USTMA senior vice president, public affairs.