Washington to Ban the Use of Copper in Brake Pads

An issue that can easily be neglected by environmental agencies across the world seems to be the mixture ingredients for a vehicle’s brake pads. A short description of the brake pads’ role in a vehicle can be summed up to composite metal plates that decelerate or stop a car through friction against a rotor.

Now the problem is that from this friction results a dust which contains tiny particles of copper and other substances used in the mix. These particles are then swept away by the wind and can end up in waterways from where they become harmful to humans.

In the US, the state of Washington appears to have taken the problem more serious and as a result Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law SB 6557. This bill received support from the Department of Ecology, environmental community, automakers and brake pad manufacturers and aims to eventually ban the use of copper in vehicle brake pads.

"Senator Ranker's legislation will help protect Washington's waterways, while allowing automakers to maintain critical vehicle brake safety standards," said Curt Augustine, policy director of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. "The auto industry is pleased to support this important initiative."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 11 car and light truck manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen.

"This has been a truly unique collaborative process. We want to thank Governor Gregoire, her Administration, and the environmental and business groups who helped craft this sensible bill to protect Washington's waterways and auto passengers," Augustine continued. "We hope to build on this success as we work together on climate change and transportation infrastructure needs of the state."

Provisions of SB 6557, which is the first of its kind in the US, include:

• Starting 2014, brake pads containing more than trace amounts of cadmium, chromium, asbestos, lead and mercury will not be permissible for sale in the state of Washington.

• The bill will establish a science-based process for a two-step reduction of copper in brake pad linings. Initially, it will limit the use of copper in brakes to a maximum of five percent by model year 2021. Additionally, it will establish an advisory committee of industry, safety, and environmental experts to assess the feasibility of lowering the mandate to .5 percent in later years.