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Statement: USTMA Urges WA Department of Ecology to Collaborate with Industry, California DTSC on 6PPD-Quinone Research

February 28, 2022

As part of its ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has reviewed and responded to the supplemental FY2022 budget passed by the Washington legislature that includes funding to address the environmental issue posed by 6PPD-Quinone. The passed budget allocates more than $2.7 million for the state’s Department of Ecology to address 6PPD-Quinone, including nearly $1.4 million for monitoring and mitigation and $1.3 million for a full alternatives analysis.

6PPD-Quinone is a previously unknown transformation product of 6PPD, an antioxidant and antiozonant used in tire manufacturing to enable tires to meet stringent standards for driver and passenger safety. While previously unknown, 6PPD-Quinone was identified in a 2020 study by researchers in the state of Washington as a causal agent to coho salmon mortality in Puget Sound. Within three weeks of learning of the study, USTMA requested that the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) review 6PPD in tires under the state’s Safer Consumer Product Regulations. In doing so, USTMA recognized the need for a transparent alternatives analysis for 6PPD and continues to support the rigorous regulatory process being undertaken by the CA DTSC.

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. 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.

In addition, on behalf of its 12 members, USTMA urges Washington to leverage in its research the knowledge and expertise of the tire industry. Tires are highly engineered products consisting of hundreds of chemicals that interact to provide safety and performance, and the industry is eager to work together with researchers and regulators to achieve the goals we all share and identify potential improvements without sacrificing safety and performance. A recent example of our commitment to sharing industry expertise in this process is reflected in an October 8 letter to the Department of Ecology addressing the technical feasibility of several antioxidants and antiozonants being evaluated by that Department.

For more information about 6PPD, 6PPD-quinone and the USTMA’s approach to addressing this issue, please visit the USTMA website.

About USTMA

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for tire manufacturers that produce tires in the U.S. Our 11 member companies operate 56 tire-related manufacturing facilities in 16 states. U.S. tire manufacturing has an annual economic footprint of $170.6 billion and is responsible for more than 291,000 U.S. jobs in manufacturing, distribution and retailing. The industry supports more than 510,000 additional U.S. jobs in supplier and induced activities, totaling more than 801,000 jobs nationwide. USTMA advances a sustainable tire manufacturing industry through thought leadership and a commitment to science based public policy advocacy. Our member company tires make mobility possible. USTMA members are committed to continuous improvement of the performance of our products, worker and consumer safety and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.USTires.org and follow us on Twitter @USTires.