The State of California has implemented a rule requiring tire manufacturers to find an alternative to a chemical that has been linked to the death of an endangered salmon species. The chemical in question, known as 6PPD, helps prevent tire cracking and enhances tire lifespan. However, California has added 6PPD to its list of Priority Products, which catalogs consumer products containing chemicals potentially harmful to people or the environment.
Tire manufacturers have been given until November 30 to inform state regulators if their tires contain 6PPD. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control explained that 6PPD reacts with ozone in the air to form 6PPD-quinone, a chemical lethal to coho salmon during their annual upstream migration for spawning.
Coho salmon, protected under the Endangered Species Act, are capable of living in both freshwater and saltwater. The Central California Coast coho salmon is classified as an endangered species. The link between coho deaths and 6PPD was initially discovered by scientists in the Pacific Northwest, with California Native American tribes relying on the fish being significantly impacted by the mass die-offs.
According to California regulators, 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone may also adversely affect other aquatic organisms. Hence, tire manufacturers are now mandated to explore new, safer alternatives to replace 6PPD. The state is cooperating with the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association to facilitate the process.
The DTSC Director, Dr. Meredith Williams, affirmed their commitment to finding a solution that ensures road safety and environmental protection. There is currently no widely available safer alternative to 6PPD, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between regulators and manufacturers to protect California’s aquatic life and the communities dependent on it.