Minnesota’s bill banning lead and mercury wheel balance weights has passed in both the state house and senate. It now awaits the signature of the state’s governor to become law.
The bills, first presented in March, were presented last week for their final reading and were passed with minimal changes to the language.
The Minnesota bill includes a ban on the installation, sale and distribution of lead and mercury based wheel balance weights and features a compliance date of January 1, 2016. The bill will also require all proper recycling of all lead and mercury weights that are removed from vehicles.
With this bill becoming law Minnesota will become the 7th state to enact a ban on lead wheel weights. California, Illinois, Maine, New York, Vermont and Washington also have legislation banning lead wheel weights.