Under regulations recently promulgated by the European Union parliament, tires sold within the EU nations will come with labels ranking each product’s fuel efficiency, wet grip and road noise on a scale ranging from “A” at the top to “G” at the bottom.
As of July 2012, all new tires will have to be affixed with the labeling. Beginning in November of ’12, manufacturers are required to include the information in technical bulletins and advertising.
“Under the scheme, tire suppliers will be obliged to provide a label but will have the option either to stick it to the tire itself or hand out a paper document instead,” reports Leigh Phillips at the Belgium-based European Union Observer news agency.
Depending on how quickly consumers act on the new information provided on the labels, an EU official predicts that this could produce a carbon dioxide emissions reduction of 1.5 million tons to 4 million tons per year – the equivalent of cutting 6.6 million tons across Europe by 2020, according to Phillips.
“Currently, there is very little information on the ecological footprint of a tire available when purchasing one,” notes Phillips, quoting EU energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs as cheering the legislation: “Consumers and fleet managers will be able to choose safer and low-noise tires and save on their fuel bills, while the EU as a whole will benefit from reduced road transport emissions.”
The Greens political party in parliament also welcomed the rankings being provided to motorists, but said more stringent laws would produce a substantially heightened environmental impact. “Consumer information is vital, but better regulation and standards are also needed if we are serious about reducing CO2 emissions from our roads,” says member Rebecca Harms of Germany.
The bill was hammered out “after a hard-fought lobbying battle in the EU capital between rival tire producers such as Germany’s Continental and French firm Michelin,” according to Phillips. “The German firm has invested research and marketing funds into tire safety and technical performance, while Michelin has pinned its strategy on environmental characteristics, with each side keen to ensure its product gets a positive EU classification.”
Phillips reports that Fazilet Cinaralp, secretary general of the tire and rubber suppliers’ trade group known as ETRMA, contends that the new law will result in a “level playing field for all” while encouraging investments in new tire technology.
For more information, visit http://euobserver.com.
