Earthgarage CEO, Bob Leonard, is featured in the following New York Times Wheels Blog article discussing efforts to eliminate copper from brake pads.
Government at the state and federal levels has been preoccupied with improving the fuel economy of the nation’s fleet. Smaller environmental causes are also in the mix, including mercury in car switches and lead weights used to balance auto wheels.
Add to these copper brake pads, which produce metal dust that environmental advocates say reaches waterways a
nd harms aquatic life. The issue has gained traction in the legislatures of California and Washington, where bans on the pads were enacted in 2010. These victories have inspired bills introduced recently in Rhode Island, New York and Oregon.
Manufacturers use copper because it effectively transfers away the heat produced when brake pads rub against rotors. But with the legislative movements gaining momentum, companies are exploring alternatives to copper and other potentially hazardous materials.
Read the entire article at Wheels Blog
Earthgarage – Greener Car. Fatter Wallet