Bridgestone Americas Commits to
National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative

With environmental issues paramount in the world today, a new lead-free tire feature is cruising into high-gear.

In efforts to improve the environment, Firestone Complete Auto Care™ and Firestone Racing, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), continue their commitment by eliminating the use of lead wheel weights through committing to the EPA’s new National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative. In response, Bridgestone Americas (BSA) began using steel wheel weights in lieu of lead weights in the beginning of 2008.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative,” said John Sheerin, Environmental Director for BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC, which operates 2,000 automotive service store locations, including Firestone Complete Auto Care,
Tires Plus™, ExpertTire™ and Wheel Works™. “All of us who support this initiative are doing our part to have a positive impact on the environment.”

Wheel weights are applied onto the wheels of vehicles when tires are installed to help the wheels balance properly and run smoothly. The weights can fall off and may get thrown onto the edges of roadways, possibly contaminating soil or water if they are made of lead or another environmentally harmful material.

In late 2007, BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC (BFRC) became the first major automotive service provider to announce the move away from the use of lead wheel weights. All of BFRC’s approximately 2,000 automotive service store locations are switching to using more ecologically sensitive, non-toxic steel weights, replacing millions of lead wheel weights each year.

And if going green with the everyday car isn’t enough, don’t worry. Environmental awareness is infiltrating the sports world, too.

In June 2008, Firestone Racing began using a non-lead product, the 3M™ Wheel Weight System, for all Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events.

For Bridgestone Americas, the change to non-lead wheel weights is just one of many efforts to protect and conserve the environment under the global “One Team, One Planet” program from Bridgestone Corporation, BSA’s parent company.

“When it comes to being ecologically sensitive, we’re all in this together,” said Al Speyer, Executive Director of Bridgestone Firestone Motorsports. “By eliminating the use of lead wheel weights on the race track and on our neighborhood highways and byways, we’re taking a small action that will have a big effect.”

Source: Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.