OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology will host an online public workshop to discuss draft rules for carrying out Washington’s Better Brakes law.
The online workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 31.
Space is limited, so participants must register by visiting www.ecy.wa.gov.
An in-person workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday in Tukwila.
The 2010 law restricts use of heavy metals and asbestos and phases out the use of copper in vehicle brake pads and shoes.
Ecology is required to write rules to explain how brake pads and shoes will be certified and marked, define terms and fill in details regarding how people must comply with the requirements of the law.
Brake manufacturers will be primarily responsible for complying with the law, but it also affects brake pad distributors, retailers and installers.
The Better Brakes law was passed with the aim of reducing toxic material in automotive brake pads and shoes.
As brake pads wear down, copper and other metals are deposited on roadways, where they are washed into streams and rivers, Ecology said, adding that in urban areas, brake pads account for up to half the copper entering waterways.
Copper is toxic to fish and other aquatic species, Ecology said, adding that young salmon are especially susceptible.
Removing copper and other toxic metals from brake material is intended to help clean up Puget Sound and other water bodies around the state.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/7kl6czg.
