California Fishing Organizations File Lawsuit Against Major U.S. Tire Manufacturers

In Tacoma, Washington, a lawsuit has been initiated by two California-based commercial fishing groups against the 13 leading tire manufacturers in the United States. The legal action aims to halt the use of a common tire chemical, 6PPD, which is implicated in the deaths of migrating salmon.

6PPD, a standard additive in tire manufacturing for the past six decades, is also prevalent in other products like footwear, synthetic turf, and playground equipment. When tires erode, they deposit minute rubber fragments on roadways and other surfaces. These fragments break down into a substance called 6PPD-quinone, which becomes lethal to salmon, steelhead trout, and a variety of other aquatic species when washed into waterways by rain.

Elizabeth Forsyth, an attorney with the environmental legal organization Earthjustice, representing the fishery groups, expressed the gravity of the situation: "This is the biggest environmental disaster that the world doesn’t quite know about yet. It’s causing devastating impacts to threatened and endangered species.”

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco by the Institute for Fisheries Resources and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. They are targeting major tire companies including Goodyear, Bridgestone, and Continental, among others.

Bridgestone, through spokesperson Steve Kinkade, declined to comment specifically on the ongoing legal case but stressed the company's dedication to safety, quality, and environmental responsibility, highlighting continued investment in the research for sustainable materials.

Other tire manufacturers implicated in the lawsuit have not provided comments. However, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, although not a party in the suit, previously stated that efforts are in progress to discover an alternative to 6PPD that would still fulfill federal safety regulations.

"Our members continue to research and develop alternative tire materials that ensure tire performance and do not compromise safety, consistent with our industry’s commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment,” the association said.

• Dams are important for water ecofriendly electricity and keeping folks who live on the rivers happy with their backyard views, can't touch that!
  
  
• Cull Sea Lions??? Heaven forbid, even though they're severely overpopulated, but what will the people say if the go down to Pier 39 in San Francisco and they don't see, nor smell, sea lions piled up on floats, boats and buoys sunning themselves???!!!
  
  
• Restore spawning grounds water levels?? Can't do that because the people invading the area won't have water!!

Of all the things impacting the Northwest's Salmonoids, I'm very skeptical that this chemical is on the Top 20 Problem list.

I'm thinking eliminating damn, sea lion predation, and restoring proper water levels at the spawning grounds should be the "Low Hanging Fruit" that are being examined.

Oh wait:

• Dams are important for water ecofriendly electricity and keeping folks who live on the rivers happy with their backyard views, can't touch that!
  
  
• Cull Sea Lions??? Heaven forbid, even though they're severely overpopulated, but what will the people say if the go down to Pier 39 in San Francisco and they don't see, nor smell, sea lions piled up on floats, boats and buoys sunning themselves???!!!
  
  
• Restore spawning grounds water levels?? Can't do that because the people invading the area won't have water!!

OK, sarcastic rant over. Another clear demonstration that Eco Lawyers just need to justify their existence by clogging the courts with BS, and non-value litigation!!

Was this suit brought by environmental groups or fishing groups?
I would think we would be on the same side as The Institute for Fisheries Resources and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations?

Was this suit brought by environmental groups or fishing groups?
I would think we would be on the same side as The Institute for Fisheries Resources and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations?

Matts, the environmental groups and the fishing groups are Not the same up here. They are both for conservation of whatever species may be popular at the moment but in completely different ways. Now that may sound confusing but it is not. Case in point, the Lobster fisheries. The enviros want a complete shut down of the fisheries because it is killing to many Right whales. They know this from their science. Total BS. The real science shows not ONE whale has been killed by entanglement in at least the last 40 or so years that we have been keeping records.

Wherever we go now there will be people trying to protect our environment. Some make perfect and logical sense. Some are just whacko's making noise because they know the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Makes them feel all warm and fuzzy. We just have to sort them out, take away their cars, phones, toys and everything they own that could hurt the environment. Buy them a tent and send them out in the boonies to live and save the world. Kind of makes you want to Puke doesn't it ?

Ok off my soapbox, I'm going to go do something constructive. 🤔