Where is the evidence that it is "common" to have wheel weights come off when hitting potholes or stopping? I can visualize an occasional instance but not common.
In my opinion, this is just another "make work" issue by the civil servants in the useless EPA.
I don’t think it’s common for wheel weights to come off when hitting pot holes or stopping, but unless it’s recycled the lead eventually ends up somewhere in the environment, and there’s no place in the environment where that’s a good thing. I’m not making a case for “make work” projects for civil servants or anyone else. However, I do support a rational approach to keeping toxic metals out of food, water, and air.