Fishing Industry Groups Notify Tire Companies of Intent to Sue Over 6PPD Impacts to Salmon, Steelhead

Press release by Earthjustice, August 15, 2023 [excerpt]

The Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR) and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) today notified U.S. tire manufacturers of their intent to sue over the use of a chemical called 6PPD in rubber tires because of its devastating impacts on Endangered Species Act (ESA)-protected salmon and steelhead. When 6PPD reacts with ground-level ozone, it breaks down into 6PPD-q — the second most toxic chemical to aquatic species ever evaluated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Exposure to 6PPD-q can kill coho salmon within hours, and the chemical is responsible for “urban runoff mortality syndrome,” which kills up to 100% of coho returning to spawn in many urban streams.

. . .

“This chemical kills the coho salmon that we need to restore damaged coho runs that were once abundant,” said IFR/PCFFA Executive Director Glen Spain. “Coho salmon, which can no longer be harvested given their extremely low numbers, are already on the brink of extinction and 6PPD use in tires has now been revealed as a major driver of these losses.”

. . .

To read the entire press release, visit Earthjustice:
Fishing Industry Groups Notify Tire Companies of Intent to Sue
Over 6PPD Impacts to Salmon, Steelhead.