Citing the need to rid the state's highways of tire debris, Michigan State Representative Douglas Geiss would like to see a fee of five dollars tacked on to all retreaded tires to cover the cost.


Representative Geiss introduced House Bill No. 5037 on October 5th, and already the nation's two retreaded tire associations have condemned the plan. Both says its misdirected legislation, citing reports conducted by University of Michigan and the national Highway Traffic Administration.

"Once again, retreaded tires are being blamed for all the rubber on the road," says David Stevens, managing director of Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau. "It's doubly ironic because, one, the University of Michigan conducted a study concluding retreaded tires were not the problem for roadside debris, and two, the bill plans to amend the Environmental Protection Act by damaging one of the most environmentally friendly products around."

"There is ample evidence regarding the true cause of tire debris on our highways - and the evidence is overwhelming that retreads are NOT the cause. There is even a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report published in December 2008, titled Commercial Medium Tire Debris Study Final Report, which dispels the myths that retreads are responsible for tire debris on highways everywhere," says Harvey Brodsky of the Retread Tire Association. "To blame retreads for tire debris on our highways, in Michigan and elsewhere, is the same as blaming a vehicle for an accident caused by a drunk driver. The blame is simply misplaced,"