SAN DIEGO – Gov. Arnold Swarzenneger signed into law a bill to remove copper from vehicle brake pads sold and installed in California after 2025.

"This new law will help restore water quality in streams, bays, and creeks throughout the state and help cities like the City of San Diego avoid costly cleanups of their waterways,” said Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, who sponsored the bill.

“It will also preserve vehicle safety and performance, which is why it enjoys the support of brake pad manufacturers.”

Scientific research has identified copper as a significant water pollutant and a threat to aquatic life, particularly salmon in streams and rivers. The major source of copper contamination comes from brake pads, which emit a fine copper dust when brakes are applied that is subsequently carried to local waterways by rain and storm water runoff.

As a result of this contamination, urban communities around the state have been ordered to remove copper from their waterways by state and federal regulators. Cities face billions of dollars in fines and clean-up costs for failure to comply with these removal orders.

SB 346 requires the use of copper in brake pads to be reduced to 5 percent by 2021 and to 0.5 percent by 2025. These dates will provide sufficient time for brake pad manufacturers and car companies to develop safe and affordable alternatives.

Vehicles and brake pads made before the 2021 and 2025 target dates will be exempt from the law.

The new law is one of the Sierra Club’s Top 10 legislative priorities for 2010.