MUSCAT, Sept 18 - Tyres that have been on display for more than two years should not be sold, the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has told the business entities. According to Article 2 of Resolution 257/2015, the circulation of unused tyres that have been in production for two years has been prohibited. Anyone violating the same will face proceedings, say PACP experts. The latest instruction comes in the wake of a recent haul of 56 expired tyres from shops in Rustaq in a joint raid by the PACP, Municipality of South Batinah and Be’ah Company.
Inspectors found that a number of tyres, including expired products, had been put up for sale at these establishments. The case was referred to the judicial authorities and the tyres were destroyed. Yeshodharan, a tyre seller in Ruwi, said the retailers were asked by the PACP not to sell expired tyres as they can pose serious threat to the drivers. “We don’t sell such tyres as it can affect the performance of the tyres and lead to accidents,” he said. According to experts, the ageing of tyres takes place from inside out — not through wear and tear, but through oxidation.
Tyres produced two years ago are not fit for use as the interiors are in direct contact with pressurised oxygen, which “causes rubber to harden and subsequently injure itself”. Three factors determine the speed with which tyre ageing can occur: tyre tread compound, concentration of oxygen and heat.
KABEER YOUSUF
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