Chrysler has just signed an important agreement with the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) in which the American manufacturer promises to stop using lead weights to balance the wheels of all Chrysler vehicles sold in California after July 31, 2009.
Around 65,000 tons of lead weights are currently found on the road in the U.S. It is estimated that 3% of them, over 2,000 tons of lead, will be released into the environment.
According to Health Canada, even minute quantities of lead can endanger human health: the Federal department states that "anemia is common" in people exposed to lead and "damage to the nervous system may cause impaired mental function."
Lead-Free Wheels, an organization fighting to ban the use of lead to balance wheels, is delighted by this development. Chrysler's announcement is expected to push the various car manufacturers to follow suit and further limit the use of lead in the automobile industry.
photo:Jupiter Images
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Around 65,000 tons of lead weights are currently found on the road in the U.S. It is estimated that 3% of them, over 2,000 tons of lead, will be released into the environment.
According to Health Canada, even minute quantities of lead can endanger human health: the Federal department states that "anemia is common" in people exposed to lead and "damage to the nervous system may cause impaired mental function."
Lead-Free Wheels, an organization fighting to ban the use of lead to balance wheels, is delighted by this development. Chrysler's announcement is expected to push the various car manufacturers to follow suit and further limit the use of lead in the automobile industry.
photo:Jupiter Images