Amsterdam, 18 June 2019 – Driving, especially accelerating and breaking, causes wear and tear of car tyres, which produces small plastic particles. These particles can become microplastics and end up in sewers, surface waters and air. In other words, car traffic contributes to particulate matter and environmental pollution. Recent research by the Dutch Open University, estimates that particulate matter of tyre wear and tear is responsible for 130,000 to 300,000 deaths worldwide.
Researchers calculated this number by gathering data on car use and mileage from thirteen different countries: eight Western European countries, Australia, India, Brazil, China and the United States. This data represents about half of the world’s population and 60% of the vehicles worldwide. The researchers then calculated that the global average of emitted tyre dust per person equals an average of 0.8 kilograms per year. The average in the Netherlands is about half a kilogram of tyre particles per person per year.
Pathways into the environment
Particulate matter consists of 3% to 7% tyre dust. But these tyre dust particles are not only airborne; they also contribute to the plastic soup in rivers and oceans. An estimated 5% to 10% of the plastics found in the ocean can be attributed to tyre dust. This makes tyre dust, after discarded plastic waste, the second largest source of microplastics in the environment.
Next steps
There is currently no alternative material available for car tyres. However, the researchers suggest several mitigating policies. The wear and tear of tyres will decrease with the use of wear resistant tyres, open asphalt concrete for roads and self-driving cars. In addition, the researchers suggest an increased efficiency in capturing microplastics by waste water treatment plants should reduce the amount microplastics in rivers and oceans.
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