EU begins moves to introduce restrictions on use of 6PPD in tires
2 May 2025
ETRMA: Austrian and Dutch authorities expected to submit restriction proposals within the next 18 months
Hanover, Germany – The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) is preparing for possible EU restrictions on the use of 6PPD (6-para-phenylene-diamine) antioxidants.
Leaching of 6PPD from tire wear particles has been found to be harmful to certain species of salmon and trout in the US – via transformation by-product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ).
“We see a lot of the work on 6PPD, originally done in California [and] now coming to Europe,” according to ETRMA secretary general Adam McCarthy.
Austrian and the Dutch chemical authorities "will in the course of 12 to 18 months propose a restriction on 6PPD in tires," he reported at Tire Technology Expo in March.
These proposals, added McCarthy, could lead to regulatory measures requiring tire manufactures to find alternatives to the use of 6PPD anti-degradants and related chemicals.
A widely used additive in the tire industry, 6PPD helps protect rubber compounds from degradation caused by ozone and oxygen – thereby ensuring the safety and performance of tires.
Currently, a coalition of 32 major tire makers are investigating alternatives for 6PPD in the US state of California.
Coordinated by the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), the consortium has identified seven potential 6PPD alternatives, from the initial 60 candidates, which warrant further investigation.
Accordiing to the USTMA, the grouping is expected to submit their final report by August 2026.
Issues around 6PPD will feature further in the May/June edition of European Rubber Journal magazine, and at the ERJ Future Tire Conference 2025, 18-19 Nov, in Prague.
