TRUTH ABOUT USED TIRES-A LEGITIMATE ARTICLE OF COMMERCE
USED TIRE INTERNATIONAL FROM DEERFIELD BEACH AND MAYAGUEZ PUERTO RICO SUED THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO IN 1996 AND HAS A PERMANENT INJUNCTION IN EFFECT SINCE 9-11-1998
Our Take-
United States Tire Manufacturers Association
Based in Washington on K Street the group that represents tire manufacturers also invents some alternative facts and continues anti-competitive writing and promotes used tire legislation much of which is based on lies and anti-competitive falsehoods not science or engineering fact.
That is how bills are made K Street Lobbyists draw them up and then have one of their cronies in a State Legislature introduce a bill
For the better part of nearly 4 decades this group once known as The RMA, has led campaigns including advertising and lobbying (I use that term loosely) worldwide and now in Puerto Rico again as well as the states listed below. USTMA and or it’s predecessor have more than lobbied they practice Anti Competitive behavior spreading information that is less than truthful. In the early 90’s there focus was to eliminate the sale of used tires ,including American used tires which are part of tire recycling worldwide The Sale of Used Tires.
RMA and USTMA did not lobby foreign governments they did worse and probably were and are breaking U.S laws such as the Sherman Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, to destroy importers, exporters and retailers of used tires.
They ran ads that used their factories overseas to persuade and or potentially bribe foreign officials with their nonsense about dangerous used tires. Why would such big corporations be worried about in many cases their distributors and retailers also selling used tires? Why because of greed, they see every used tire sold as one less new tire they will sell They who are the makers of a product that not only can have one life but a second instead choose to take the low road. The exception is Retread Tires which all require a casing which is a used tire to make.
Tire ageing an issue that did not exist 10 years ago 20 years ago or since the invention of the pneumatic tire is something they came up with not for safety reasons ,but also to eliminate or reduce the sale of used tires and increase the sale of new tires.
While some USTMA members suggest a tire that is six years old should automatically come out of service and or not be sold..
They have not delivered concrete Scientific evidence that is in fact necessary. Each and every tire may last much longer their are many factors that determine this. Such a the condition of the tire where and how it was used how it was stored after being manufactured and where it was stored.
MANY CAR MANUFACTURERS SUGGEST 10 YEARS IS THE TIME A TIRE SHOULD COME OUT OF SERVICE AS WELL AND SOME TIRE MAKERS TOO.
AGAIN WE ASSERT EACH AND EVERY TIRE IS DIFFERENT AND AT WHAT AGE OR WHEN A TIRE SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE VARIES.
IN THE LATEST ATTEMPT AGAIN IN PUERTO RICO WHERE THERE IS A PERMANENT INJUNCTION IN PLACE STOPPING THE COMMONWEALTH FROM INTERFERING WITH THE FREE AND UNFETTERED FLOW OF USED TIRES INTO PUERTO RICO .
No instead USTMA wants tires to be sold like eggs or milk with an expiration date. We question where they are on their own customers who have new tires never used that have a dot date earlier than 2018 for sale in the U. S and Puerto Rico,
No one in the used tire industry wants to sell a tire that should be out of service for whatever reason.
Hell Firestone new tires killed many as a result of their makers errors they were brand new…..Each used tire sold wherever should have been inspected and checked at the retail tire level and before to paint with a brush used tires are dangerous or as USTMA prefers potentially dangerous simply because it has 4/32s of tread and is six years old is complete and utter non-sense It is also anti recycling and creates additional scrap tires before their time Reuse Reduce Recycle. The sale of used tires is the highest form of recycling Re-Use.
If in fact USTMA believes what was printed in “El Vocero” newspaper today the best way to accomplish the tire safety issue they are raising is to have auto inspections once a year as many states do. That would also help with non functioning brakes brake lights lights and head lights and emissions and more which are a problem in Puerto Rico. They would be able to see the DOT production date if they want to stick to their lie that a tire should come out of service at age “6” and they could inspect tread depth and make sure it is over 2/32s which is the rule for coming out of service not 4/32s.
With the price of new tires sometimes $400, $500, or $600 or more, used tires offer a viable constitutionally protected article of commerce. Many consumers depend on used tires as the cost of new tires has skyrocketed. As we have said many times, just like USTMA supports retreading, which is a form of recycling tires, they use a casing, which is a used tire.
FROM USTMA WEBSITE-LOOK AT THE CRAP THEY ARE DOING ONE STATE AND ONE YEAR AT A TIME AFTER DECADES OF BY ANY MEANS THEY COULD ELIMINATE THE EXPORTATION OR IMPORTATION TO CERTAIN CENTRAL AMERICAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Used Tires
TISB 45: Passenger and Light Truck Used Tires
June 3, 2016
Ohio Legislation Aims to Curb Use of Unsafe used Tires
January 9, 2018
Indiana Legislature Takes on Unsafe Used Tires
Tire Care & Safety
September 10, 2019
California Enacts New Highway Safety Law Prohibiting Installation of Unsafe Used Tires
August 7, 2017
New Jersey Prohibits Sale of Unsafe Used Tires
Tire Care & Safety
June 28, 2019
New Ohio Law Prohibiting Installation of Unsafe Used Tires Takes Effect July 1
Tire Care & Safety
TISB 56: Passenger Tires for Use in Ice Conditions
Tire Care & Safety
May 23, 2019
Texas Legislature Sends Highway Safety Legislation Prohibiting Installation of Unsafe Used Tires to Governor
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