Trials of a new specification standard for eco tires began in China on March 1, the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) reports. Standard number XXZB/LT-102-2014, which was originally proposed by the association, is the Chinese tire industry's first self-regulating green tire standard and is based on the draft the CRIA opened for industry comment between Dec. 27 and Jan. 20.
The standard calls for the elimination of a number of potentially harmful substances from tire manufacture by January 2015; these include, amongst others, high aromatic oils, rubber antioxidant D and rubber accelerators NOBS, TMTM, TMTD and DTDM. It also sets maximum emission levels for tire production and encourages more environmentally production techniques.
