Lead wheel weights are used to balance tires on vehicles with very little thought about the metal used to make the weight.  Lead is one of the top three hazardous waste materials according to the US EPA. Lead adversely affects the environment and the human body.  In our town there are approximately 1,700 cars and trucks.  Each vehicle has about 127 grams (4.5 ounces) of lead wheel weights on their tires.  Approximately 10% of these fall off during normal driving conditions, resulting in about 2.2 kg (5 pounds) of lead being deposited on the roads of our town. Hazardous lead compounds may enter the environment through street water run-off. The lead may also be brought into the garage on tires of vehicles and bicycles and into the house on shoes where it can be ingested unknowingly by children or pets.  In addition, citizens of our community who handle lead wheel weights have a higher chance of developing health problems. If they become sick, the increased cost of health care can be passed onto the community.

People seemed to have little awareness that lead was used in wheel weights. This fact went under the radar of even the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Lead wheel weights may form the same deadly compounds that are contained in lead paint.  We wondered why another substance wasn’t used in place of lead in the manufacturing of lead wheel weights.  Michael Green, Director of the Center for Environmental Health stated, “Wheel weights have been identified as the largest new route of lead releases into the environment. By moving the industry away from leaded wheel weights, we are helping to keep the lead out of our kids’ drinking water.” (www.ceh.org, August 20, 2008)  If we don’t phase out the sale and use of lead in wheel weights, people and wildlife in our community will suffer from the health hazards caused by lead.

Section 2:  Research

          Early in our research, we found an article by Dr. Robert Root:  Lead Loading of Urban Streets by Motor Vehicle Wheel Weights.  This article and our correspondence by letter with Dr. Root helped us understand the significant problem that lead wheel weights pose to the environment.  It led us to inquire why so little was being done to regulate the entry of lead into the environment from this source. 

Through our research, visit, and communications with Linda Barr, Chief, Waste Minimization Branch of the US EPA we learned that the US EPA launched the National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative (NLFWWI) on August 29, 2008.  The purpose of the NLFWWI is to encourage the voluntary transition away from the use of lead in wheel weights.  We learned that there are alternative metals in place of lead that can be used to make wheel weights.  Lead free alternative wheel weights include steel, copper, and aluminum.  We also contacted Theresa Stiner, Iowa DNR, to inquire about current regulations that exist regarding lead wheel weights.  We learned there are no specific regulations in Iowa.  She stated the DNR is not planning on conducting any studies.

According to a survey conducted by the Ecology Center in 2006, half of all new vehicles sold in the US have lead-free wheel weights.  Tires only remain balanced for about a year, but this can vary drastically due to the effect of tire wear, how people drive, and driving conditions.  Once out of balance, tires need to be taken to a tire service center to be rebalanced.  Most tires are balanced with lead wheel weights because there are no state regulations on the use of lead to balance tires.  Jeff Gerhart, research director at the Ecology Center says that the US EPA “has refused to enact a ban, instead relying on voluntary industry action.  It is simply scandalous that three years after the rest of the world banned toxic lead weights, the US continues to allow their use.” (Use of lead wheel weights being knocked off balance. Motor Age, September 15, 2008).  In 2005, the European Union banned the sale and use of lead wheel weights. 

Through our research we learned that about 65,000 tons of lead wheel weights are used in the United States.  (Green Living Tips, August 24, 2008).  Ten percent of these wheel weights fall off resulting in at least 6,500 tons of lead being deposited on U.S. roadways from lead wheel weights (leadfreewheels.com).  When visiting automotive tire service centers we learned that workers are exposed to lead while installing wheel weights.  We also learned that lead wheel weights are one of the last unregulated sources of lead in the United States.

We looked into the California policy that is banning the sale and use of lead in wheel weights.  We corresponded with Charles Margulis, Center for Environmental Health (CEH), about the CEH’s lawsuit against lead wheel weight manufacturers and distributors.  As a result of the CEH lawsuit, California implemented a policy that will require companies to stop producing and using lead wheel weights by the end of 2009.  This act prevents 500,000 pounds of lead from entering the environment in California each year (Green Living Tips, August 24, 2008).

To further our understanding of how hazardous lead is released into the environment, we tried to determine lead solubility under typical Iowa road conditions. We hypothesized that when lead wheel weights fall off vehicles and are exposed to deicing salt and acid rain conditions, the wheel weights may form soluble lead compounds.  These compounds may enter the environment as a result of street runoff.

We called organizations to become more knowledgeable about how to conduct lead testing.  Initially, we found few resources.  Our teacher put us in touch with Dr. Michael Wichman from the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory (UIHL). The UIHL in Ankeny, Iowa invited us to visit their research facility. We visited on November 14, 2008 to learn how they test for various hazardous materials.  Their presentation gave us ideas on how to proceed with our experiments.

Another component of our research was conducting surveys of local families and tire service centers.  One hundred nine families responded to our survey.  We learned that over 83% of them are willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly wheel weight.  We visited 21 local tire service centers.  Over 57% of the centers surveyed install more than 100 wheel weights each week.  Nearly 86% install only lead wheel weights and over 52% did not know of any alternative substances that could be used in place of lead.  Fifty-two percent of the tire service centers were unaware of any environmental or health risks associated with lead wheel weights.  Over 28% of those surveyed would not voluntarily switch to lead-free wheel weights if asked to do so by the US EPA.

Our research led us to our hypothesis:  “if the public becomes more aware of the environmental dangers of lead wheel weights and is given alternative wheel balancing choices then there will be a decrease in lead entering the environment.”  In Section 3:  Testing we will describe the tests we conducted and the information we gathered to prove our hypothesis.

Section 3: Testing

To test our hypothesis that lead compounds could potentially enter our environment from accidental deposition of lead wheel weights on our roads we experimented with lead wheel weights in different solutions.  We tested them in 500 ml solutions of distilled water, rainwater, vinegar, and salt-sand mixture. We used rainwater to test the effect of precipitation on lead wheel weights.  We used a dilute .5% acetic acid vinegar solution to simulate the effect that landfill conditions could have on lead wheel weights. We used the salt-sand obtained from our county road department and added rainwater to make a solution that simulated the corrosive winter road conditions present after deicing salt and sand is added to Iowa roadways. 

To conduct the initial tests we placed 3 each of the four following solutions in 12 plastic bottles provided by the UIHL Lab: 500 ml solutions of 1) distilled water, 2) rainwater (5.5 pH), 3) dilute vinegar solution (2.9-3.0 pH), and 4) rainwater with a 43 grams of salt/sand mixture (5.5 pH). Four of the 12 bottles were used as controls, one of each solution with no wheel weights. We placed one 7 gram steel wheel weight in each of four individual solution bottles. Finally, we placed one 14 gram lead wheel weight in each of the remaining individual plastic bottles of solution. After 24 hours we used indicator kits to test for the presence of lead in the solutions.   See Results below:

We conferred with Dr. Michael Wichman of the UIHL to replicate our tests and quantify the results.  This was done because we did not have the equipment to measure the amount of lead or the means to properly dispose of the hazardous solutions.  The solutions were the same as in our initial testing:  500 ml solutions of 1) distilled water, 2) rainwater (5.5 pH), 3) dilute vinegar solution (2.9-3.0 pH), and 4) rainwater with a salt/sand mixture (5.5 pH).  Four controls of the above solutions were placed in bottles without any wheel weights.  Four of the above solutions were placed in bottles containing one 14 gram lead wheel weight.   Four of the above solutions were placed in bottles containing one 7 gram steel weight.  The bottles were placed on a “shaker” that rotated for 18 hours according to the EPA Toxic Characteristic Leaching Protocol Test (TCLP).  The TCLP procedure is designed to determine the potential mobility of hazardous metals.  Samples from the 12 bottles were tested for the amount of lead present in each solution.

All solutions indicated in the above table and confirmed by UIHL lab testing were shaken for 18 hours according to the EPA Toxic Characteristic Leaching Protocol Test (TCLP). EPA mandated TCLP testing procedures and analysis simulate landfill conditions and are designed to determine which specific contaminants, such as lead, identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, are present in landfill leachate. The TCLP procedure is also designed to determine the mobility potential of hazardous heavy metals, such as lead, present in solid and liquid wastes. THE UIHL lead wheel weight test results indicate significant measureable amounts of toxic lead compounds present in all of the non control and highly mobile liquid test solutions listed above. Dr. Wichman from the UIHL has stated “Based on these results one can determine that various conditions could result in leaching of Pb from wheel weights. How that models into contamination of

groundwater and/or surface water requires some research.”  Therefore, the lead wheel weight testing, determining lead solubility under various conditions is a key and logical step in enhancing our understanding of how hazardous lead could be released into the environment. On our nation’s roadways, if lead becomes mobile under natural environmental conditions then lead could potentially enter the environment and our drinking water reserves through leachate and surface water runoff. Because the accidental deposition of unregulated lead wheel weights is occurring on our nation’s highways, we believe that lead mobility will be increased due to the formation of soluble toxic lead compounds, potentially contributing to lead contamination of our environment. We think that lead contamination of any kind should not be tolerated. However, as Dr. Wichman has suggested future research will be needed to verify the extent of toxic contributions of lead wheel weights to surface and ground water contamination.

To test the effects of our educational component with the public and tire service center owners, we conducted surveys of 109 families and 21 tire service centers.  This supports our hypothesis that educating the public and tire service center owners will result in fewer lead wheel weights being used on vehicles.  We developed an educational brochure and fact sheet about lead wheel weights.  Our brochure was sent home to parents of middle school students.  Four weeks later we re-surveyed the families.  Results of the post survey show a 21% increase in knowledge about what a wheel weight is.  There was also a 21% increase in identification of lead as the metal in wheel weights.  A 27% increase was found in understanding the negative environmental impact of lead wheel weights. An unexpected result was the slight decrease in the percentage willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly wheel weight.  This may have been caused by the troubled economy and the vagueness of the question.  People didn’t know how much more this would cost them.

We revisited the tire service centers and provided them with the brochure, fact sheet, and safety posters.  After completing our educational efforts we administered the post survey.

The results are as follows:

After educational efforts at tire service centers, there was a 33% increase in knowledge of non-lead balancing alternatives.  There was a 52% increase in knowledge of tire service center staff of environmental issues associated with lead wheel weights.  There was also an increase in the number of centers that would be willing to voluntarily switch to non-lead wheel weights.

Section 4:  The Solution

            The great prospect of our project is that a solution is possible.  We have identified three keys to solving the lead wheel weight problem:  1) Through our community presentations, letter writing campaign and nationally website distributed brochures, educate the citizens, community leaders, and tire service owners about the hazards of lead in wheel weights and the alternative materials that can be used in wheel weights, 2) craft a bill to phase out the sale and installation of lead wheel weights, and 3) work with legislators, the DNR, and environmental committees to encourage them to support the bill to become law.

               We are working toward making our solution a reality. We gave presentations to the City Council and the Community School District, Mayor Hatfield, the City Council, the Chief of Police, and the Community School District.  As a result, they have agreed to phase out lead wheel weights on all city and school district owned vehicles. Our town’s utility and water bills will now contain a message recommending citizens request environmentally friendly steel wheel weights the next time they have their vehicle’s tires balanced. We have distributed our informational brochures to the middle school parents and have also sent home information to the elementary and high school students’ parents.  In addition, we have visited local tire service centers and supplied them with educational materials for their workers and their customers.  We created a website <www.leadzero.org> to inform a larger population about the dangers of lead wheel weights.   We participated in an Environmental Summit that was attended by five legislators.  After hearing our presentation at the Summit, Iowa Representatives Jeff Kauffman and Nate Willems plan to introduce legislation that will phase out the use of lead in wheel balancing.  On March 4, 2009 our team will do a presentation to legislators, environmental committees, and present posters about the hazards of lead wheel weights at the State Capitol.

               We realize from our survey results that people are willing to convert from lead wheel weights to an alternative metal once they realize the dangers.  Our goal is to increase the public awareness and to educate the policy makers about the hazards of lead wheel weights.  We would use the grant funds to produce a print and media campaign about the dangers of lead wheel weights and the alternative metals that are available.    The campaign would include videos, television and radio commercials, posters, brochures, newspaper advertisements, billboards, direct mail, and Internet advertisements. Grant funds would be used to update our website and hire a consultant to provide ideas to improve the website.  We would host a dinner for tire service center owners at which we would educate them on the dangers of using lead wheel weights.  During this event we will explain our plan to help them make changes and would ask them to sign an agreement stating that they will begin using lead-free wheel weights.  We will use grant funds to provide the service center owners with funds to convert their current lead inventory to lead-free wheel weights.  We will publish the name of the tire service centers in our print and ad campaign that sign our agreement.  In addition, citizens will be offered a financial incentive for converting to lead-free wheel weights.  Grant funds would also be used to help offset the costs that our City, the Police Department, and the School District will incur in converting their fleet vehicles from lead to steel wheel weights.

               We would use the grant funds to encourage Iowa legislators to pass our bill requiring the phase out of lead in wheel weights in Iowa.  The funds would help pay for travel expenses and enable us to have meetings with legislators in Des Moines.  Once the bill becomes law in Iowa, we would turn our attention to Congress.  We would encourage Congress to pass a national law phasing out the use of lead in wheel weights.  A campaign to request people sign a petition to phase out lead wheel weights will be undertaken.  We would go to Washington DC, present the signatures, and explain our concerns about the hazards of lead in wheel weights.  We would garner support from Senator Grassley, Senator Harkin, and Congressman Loebsack and ask them to make a presentation to Congress.  We would also visit with Linda Barr, US EPA, and ask how the EPA can help educate the public about problems associated with using lead wheel weights.

               If we were to win the Christopher Columbus Contest and receive the $25,000 grant it is very reasonable to assume that by next year at this time, we will have helped all four local tire service centers convert from lead wheel weights to lead-free wheel weights.  Also, all city and school district fleet vehicles will no longer use lead wheel weights.  The local citizens will have received education through letters, video and brochures.  We will have introduced a bill to the Iowa State Legislature requiring the phase out of lead wheel weights by an agreed upon date.

        The primary challenge we face in implementing our solution is making sure that consumers and tire service centers realize the problem of using lead in wheel weights.  A second challenge lies in convincing businesses to make the change from lead to alternative metals used in wheel weights.  Our project is on the cutting edge and is a grass roots effort. Receiving this award would give us the recognition and the financial means to make our solutions a reality.  The time is right to phase out the use of lead in wheel weights.

          All communities benefit if lead in wheel weights is phased out.  If a safe substance is used in wheel weights, lead is eliminated from entering the environment.  There is a solution to the problem.  Replicating our model in other communities can be accomplished:  1) through surveys, letters, brochures and presentations to increase awareness of citizens, policy makers, and tire service owners about the hazards of lead wheel weights and the alternative of installing lead free wheel weights; 2) by crafting bills to phase out the installation of lead wheel weights; and 3) by working with legislators, the DNR, and environmental committees to encourage them to support the bills to become law.

            Ultimately, our goal is to eliminate the lead in wheel weights.  To accomplish this, we recommend replication by communities that share our vision.  Our website, <www.leadzero.org>, informs the public about the hazards of lead wheel weights.  For communities to proceed with the project, we recommend conducting research to learn of health problems associated with lead wheel weights.  Success includes the need to:  1) establish partnerships with research facilities to complete lead solubility testing; 2) create educational materials to improve community awareness; 3) work cooperatively with community decision makers to phase out lead wheel weights on city vehicles; 4) contact state policy makers to craft a bill to present to legislative committees; and 5) know a significant difference can be made in the community.

             We began working on our issue in August.  The time required depends on: 1) establishing partnerships with scientists, tire centers, and policy makers; 2) making presentations to community citizens; 3) contacting legislators; and 4) once the legislative process begins, contacting policy makers.  Commitment, dedication, and persistence are key components for success.  Currently, California is the only state to take action phasing out the lead in wheel weights.  Representative Kaufmann tells us that passage of our bill looks good.  Our goal is to make Iowa a leader in addressing environmental issues.  Change is coming to America.  Policy makers are supportive.  The time is right to phase out the use of lead in wheel weights! 

We encourage every person to contact their legislators
to express individual lead wheel weight concerns.
Please click here for Iowa Senate emails
Please click here for Iowa House emails
Please click here for United States Senate emails
Please click here to write your United States Congressman

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Study conducted by West Branch Iowa 7th grade Science Team "Dead Weight" February 27, 2009.
A special thank you to our science team advisor Dr. Hector Ibarra,
Dr. Michael D. Wichman, UIHL Iowa City Iowa, Dr. Robert A. Root, Retired and our parents.