Are lead wheel weights illegal?

In China, the normal and reasonable use of  lead wheel weights is generally not illegal. In normal vehicle maintenance and use scenarios, the use of  lead wheel weights is legal, but relevant vehicle safety and environmental regulations must be followed.

The following are some countries and regions where the use of Lead wheel weights is illegal or has related restrictions:

United States

Banned in multiple states: Several states in the United States have banned the use of Lead wheel weights, such as California, Maine, Vermont, Illinois, New York, Washington, Minnesota, etc. In mid-2014, Minnesota passed the bill, giving companies a 19-month grace period to cooperate, and by January 2016 at the latest, prohibiting the installation, sale and distribution of Lead wheel weights, and requiring all lead weights removed from vehicles to be properly recycled.

New Jersey bill: New Jersey has proposed a bill to ban the use of lead or mercury wheel weights in all cars across the state, including passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

Canada

In 2023, Canada passed legislation to ban the manufacture and import of wheel weights with a lead content of more than 0.1%, but there are some exemptions, such as lead wheel weights manufactured in Canada for export outside Canada, lead wheel weights imported into Canada for immediate transshipment to destinations outside Canada, and lead wheel weights installed on vehicles. The ban will take effect on February 3, 2024.

EU

The EU banned the use of lead in wheel weights in 20051.

The amendment to Annex XVII of the EU REACH Regulation ((EC) No1907/2006) - (EU) 2023/923, amends the relevant restrictions on lead in Article 63 and adds restrictions on the use of lead and its compounds in PVC articles. That is, if the lead concentration in vinyl chloride polymers or copolymers (PVC) is greater than or equal to 0.1% (weight percentage), it shall not be placed on the market or used on the market5.

Japan

Japanese automakers have stopped using lead wheel weights for nearly a decade.

Facts about lead wheel weights pollution

1.According to the United States Geological Survey, about 2,000 tons of lead wheel weights fall from vehicles into roads or street drains in the United States every year.

2.The concentration of metals such as lead in urban runoff is closely related to traffic flow. Streets and parking lots are one of the main sources of lead in urban runoff.

3.Under conditions such as high temperature and sunlight, the lead in lead wheel weights will also volatilize to a certain extent and enter the atmosphere, increasing the lead content in the air.

4.Jefferson County, Missouri, once had an increase in soil lead content due to the open placement of lead factory waste slag and the use of contaminated depressions as fill. The soil lead content in many residents' yards exceeded the standard, posing a threat to the health of local residents, especially young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women.