The Washington state department of ecology (ecology) wants your input on the draft 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria.

Ecology has developed draft 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria. These criteria will set a transparent standard for identifying safer alternatives to 6PPD for use in motor vehicle tires. We will use these hazard criteria when conducting a 6PPD alternatives assessment.

Ecology invites you to review the draft 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria and provide written feedback from June 14 to July 14, 2023. You can learn more about the draft hazard criteria in a recorded presentation available at this link https://youtu.be/Gtb9MQZA_m4.

View the draft 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria: Starting on June 14, 2023, the draft 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria will be available for review at this link https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/SummaryPages/2304036.html.

Submit comments online: Ecology will accept online comments on the draft 6PPD hazard criteria from June 14 to July 14, 2023. Comments must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on July 14, 2023.

Recorded presentations: Ecology has recorded informational videos about our 6PPD work, including a presentation that discusses our 6PPD alternatives assessment hazard criteria. Individuals can review this presentation to learn more about the criteria https://youtu.be/Gtb9MQZA_m4.

Related event: 6PPD public webinar: In addition to the recorded informational video, Washington state (and other partner agencies in the state) will be hosting a public webinar to discuss our 6PPD work more generally. This live virtual event will take place on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, from 1 to 3 p.m. PDT. During this meeting, individuals are welcome to ask questions about the 6PPD hazard criteria. If you have a question you would like addressed during the meeting, you may also submit it in advance of the meeting using this online comment form https://hwtr.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=rx2aKfb8Qu.

Background on 6PPD hazard criteria: 6PPD prevents cracking and blowouts in tires. As 6PPD performs these functions, it reacts with ozone in the environment and creates a transformation product called 6PPD-quinone. Unfortunately, 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone are highly toxic to some species of aquatic life; tiny amounts of 6PPD-quinone can kill coho salmon before they're able to spawn.

Given the toxicity of 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone, we're searching for a safer alternative to 6PPD for use in tires. Before we can do this, however, we need to be clear about the guidelines we're using to define "safer." We refer to these guidelines as "hazard criteria." We'll use 6PPD hazard criteria to set standards to collect data and analyze the safety of possible replacement chemicals for 6PPD.

If you have any questions, please contact Craig Manahan, 6PPD Chemist, Washington state department of ecology, email craig.manahan@ecy.wa.gov.