Washington State is advancing two companion bills, HB 2421 and SB 6119, that would increase the cost of replacement tires while limiting transparency and placing the burden of compliance on sellers and consumers rather than on tire manufacturers.

HB 2421 imposes a so-called “seller-paid” mitigation fee on replacement tires containing 6PPD, beginning in 2027 and increasing annually by 10% every year starting in 2028. The fee is not allowed to be itemized or disclosed at the point of sale and its cost will inevitably be passed on through higher prices. Preventing sellers from explaining why prices are rising undermines transparency and erodes consumer trust.

SB 6119 goes further by pairing a similar mitigation fee with a phased ban on tires containing 6PPD or certain substitutes beginning in 2035. While framed as a long transition, the bill assumes that functionally equivalent, durable, and affordable 6PPD-free alternatives will be widely available, an assumption that is not supported by current market realities.

Both bills misalign incentives by placing costs and compliance risks on sellers and consumers, while manufacturers, who control tire design, chemical formulation, and research face little direct pressure to innovate. Consumers cannot meaningfully reduce demand for replacement tires, and sellers do not design products. As structured, these bills risk functioning as cost-shifting or revenue-generating measures rather than effective drivers of environmental improvement.

Environmental stewardship is important, but effective policy must be transparent, technologically realistic, and properly aligned. We urge Washington lawmakers to oppose HB 2421 and SB 6119 in their current forms, or substantially amend them to ensure that enforcement timelines reflect proven market readiness, incentives target manufacturers, and consumers retain the right to understand why prices are increasing through transparency rather than questionable nondisclosure tactics.