Conservation Highlights
Support for a Vital Industry
The brake business is tough ... thin profit margins, unpredictable prices for raw materials, fierce competition on an international scale. You might think that an aggressive law like Senate Bill 346 that rewrites the rules for this multi-billon-dollar industry would raise its ire. Think again.
Setting the Standard
Sustainable Conservation's bill requires manufacturers to reduce the use of copper in brake pads sold in California to no more than 5% by 2021 and no more than 0.5% by 2025. Yet it benefits everyone in the brake business.
That's because all manufacturers will have to play by the same rules in developing copper-free alternatives. That way, companies can't unfairly undercut the rest of the industry by selling less-expensive brakes containing copper or other harmful ingredients. SB 346 also gives the industry adequate time and flexibility to make the transition smoothly.
"Manufacturers want a healthy planet just like anyone, but fixing the problem also required taking the health of the industry into account," says Bob Peters, Chief Engineer at Akebono Brake Corporation. "Making sure we're all accountable to the same standards was critical in forging a truly sustainable solution."
The icing on the cake? Because California represents 12% of the global brake market - and manufacturers don't make different brakes for each state, instead using common formulations for the North American market - Sustainable Conservation's law means copper-free brakes for the entire continent.
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