Aftermarket parts brand, Comline, has reaffirmed its commitment to copper-free braking with the announcement of an Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) ‘N’ rating. This rating confirms Comline brake pads as containing less than 0.5% of copper by weight and permits the brand to use the AASA LeafMark ‘N’ icon in promoting its comprehensive range of all makes brake pads.

Comline’s move towards eradicating copper from its brake pad formulations dates back to 2016 in the aftermath of environmental studies conducted in the USA which demonstrated that the wear of traditional brake pads caused copper and other materials to be dumped onto roadways, consequently polluting streams, rivers, and the wider marine ecosystem.

Certification as ‘N’ rated under the AASA LeafMark confirms Comline’s continued commitment to copper-free brake pads.

Comline Director of Braking Product Development, Dr. Keith Ellis, commented, “Whilst there is still no formal regulation of copper content in brake pads here in Europe, we took the results of studies from the United States very seriously. As a brand we felt the responsibility to limit the environmental impact of our brake pads and quickly sought to bring our all makes range in-line with planned governance for California.” He added, “Although we have been compliant for some time, receiving the ‘N’ rated’ LeafMark from the AASA underlines the validity of our claims and enables us to more effectively promote Comline’s copper-free credentials.”

The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) exclusively represents the North American Aftermarket supplier industry but its LeafMark symbol is now being attributed to brands such as Comline who reside outside of North America. The AASA LeafMark is being adopted internationally to certify hazardous material content, notably copper, within a brake pad formulation. Within this certification there are three distinct levels of compliance – A, B or N – with products awarded ‘N’ rating demonstrating the highest level of compliance. In achieving its ‘N’ rating, Comline has demonstrated that its brake pads contain less than 0.5% of copper by weight and compliance with several other harmful material measures.

The AASA LeafMark will begin to adorn Comline promotional material in the coming weeks and months, and this compliance, says Comline reinforces the brand’s position as ‘experts in braking’.