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Agencies, tribes and NGOs push monitoring, regulatory timelines and tribal protections into 6PPD policymaking
Summary
Forum presentations showed coordinated monitoring expansion (USGS, Ecology, Trout Unlimited), WSDOT regional retrofit planning, Ecologys Safer Products process, TSCA engagement by tribes, and a Washington bill proposal that would fee 6PPD tires and ban their sale by 2035. Tribal presenters urged coho‑focused testing and expedited federal review for alternatives.
Speakers at the forum outlined how monitoring expansions, regulatory processes and tribal participation are converging as governments consider restrictions on 6PPD and related products.
Monitoring and laboratory capacity: Justin Greer (USGS) summarized improved direct‑inject LC‑MS/MS methods (reporting limits around 2 ng/L), national reconnaissance sampling and new tissue analysis methods for fish. Alex Le Tigner (Trout Unlimited) described a volunteer‑backed deployment of passive samplers at 20 sites in the Lake Washington/Lake Sammamish basins to augment agency sampling and capture more storms. Presenters repeatedly noted limited lab capacity and shipping constraints for 6PPD quinone analysis.
Regulatory processes and timelines: Craig Manahan (WA Dept. of Ecology) described the Safer Products for Washington program (5‑year cycle) and the statutory designation of motor vehicle tires containing 6PPD as a priority product; Ecology expects draft regulatory determinations in late 2026 and possible rule adoption by 2028. Tribal presenters (Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission and CTUIR) described the 2023 TSCA petition process and urged EPA to prioritize tribal exposure pathways; they emphasized the treaty responsibility to protect coho and other first foods.
Policy proposals: Andrew Kenefic (Washington Council of Trout Unlimited) outlined a policy package under development: a ban on on‑highway tires containing 6PPD effective in 2035, plus a per‑tire fee ($3 passenger, $6 larger) escalating 10% annually to fund monitoring, lab capacity, and mitigation. He framed the fee as an incentive for producers to adopt 6PPD‑free technologies while funding agency oversight and local monitoring.
Tribal and technical considerations: Tribal toxicologists stressed that coho salmon are uniquely sensitive and that surrogate species may understate risk. Nagana Blair (CTUIR) and Diane Barton (CRI) urged prioritizing coho‑relevant endpoints in alternatives testing and fast‑tracking EPA reviews of promising alternatives while retaining scrutiny of susceptible subpopulations.
Next steps: Agencies plan to coordinate sampling protocols and expand monitoring; Ecology and funding partners will scope alternatives assessments. Legislators and advocates will continue to debate timing, fees, and exemptions as industry develops substitutes.
Sources: Presentations from USGS, Ecology, Trout Unlimited, CTUIR/CRITFC, and Andrew Kenefics policy overview at the 6PPD State of the Science Forum Day 2.
