Minnesota may ban lead wheel weights

Minnesota has proposed to ban the use of lead wheel weight counterweights on all vehicles within the state, including passenger and commercial vehicles.

We haven't seen a state restart the debate on lead wheel weight for some time, but this new development in Minnesota indicates that the issue hasn't disappeared, "said Gregory Parker, marketing manager at Wegmann Automotive USA Inc., which produces Perfect Equipment and Hofmann Power Weight brand wheel counterweights.
If the bill is passed, Minnesota will become the seventh state to ban the use of lead wheel balancing weights.

Minnesota currently has a state authorization requiring state-owned fleet vehicles to only use non lead wheel balancing weights, and similar statewide regulations on lead based wheel weights have been proposed in the past.
Last week, Minnesota introduced and read bills in the House of Representatives (H.F.2542) and Senate (S.F.2192), both of which were submitted to its Environment and Energy Resources Committee for review.
Parker said that the specific wording of each bill includes a ban on the installation, sale, and distribution of lead and mercury based wheel balance weights, with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2015.
Detailed information about Senate and House bills can be found on the state's website