[D66] Toxic tyre pollution

[René Oudeweg]

imperial.ac.uk 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/243333/prioritise-tackling-toxic-emissions-from-tyres/> 



  Prioritise tackling toxic emissions from tyres, urge Imperial experts
  | Imperial News | Imperial College London

by Caroline Brogan 23 February 2023
8–10 minutes
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Close up photo of a car tyre

Imperial experts are calling for more to be done to limit the 
potentially harmful impact of toxic tyre particles on health and the 
environment.

The researchers, from Imperial College London’s Transition to Zero 
Pollution 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-strategy/academic-strategy-projects/transition-to-zero-pollution/> 
initiative, warn that even though electric vehicles remove the problem 
of fuel emissions, we will continue to have a problem with particulate 
matter because of tyre wear.

    Tyre wear particles pollute the environment, the air we breathe, the
    water run-off from roads and has compounding effects on waterways
    and agriculture Dr Zhengchu Tan Department of Mechanical Engineering

Six million tonnes of tyre wear particles are released globally each 
year, and in London alone, 2.6 million vehicles emit around nine 
thousand tonnes of tyre wear particles annually.

Despite this, research on the environmental and health impacts of tyre 
wear has been neglected in comparison to the research and innovations 
dedicated to tackling fuel emissions. The Imperial researchers say that 
the effect of new technologies on the generation and impact of tyre wear 
should be a priority.

In a new briefing paper 
<https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/101707/9/Tyre%20wear%20particles%20are%20toxic%20for%20us%20and%20the%20environment%200223-2.pdf>, 
a multidisciplinary group of Imperial experts including engineers, 
ecologists, medics, and air quality analysts have called for as much 
investment into tyre wear research as there is for reducing fuel 
emissions – and for understanding their interactions.

Lead authorDr Zhengchu Tan 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/zhengchu.tan11>, of Imperial’s 
Department of Mechanical Engineering 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering>, said: “Tyre wear 
particles pollute the environment, the air we breathe, the water run-off 
from roads and has compounding effects on waterways and agriculture. 
_*Even if all our vehicles eventually become powered by electricity 
instead of fossil fuels, we will still have harmful pollution from 
vehicles because of tyre wear. *_

“We urge policymakers and scientists to embark on ambitious research 
into tyre wear pollution to fully understand and reduce their impacts on 
biodiversity and health, as well as research to reduce the generation of 
these particles.”

    We will continue to leverage the full strength of our research and
    influence to find meaningful solutions and help realise a
    sustainable, zero pollution future. Professor Mary Ryan Vice-Provost
    (Research and Enterprise)

Transition to Zero Pollution 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/zero-pollution/> is an Imperial initiative 
which aims to build new partnerships between research, industry, and 
government to help realise a sustainable zero pollution future.

Professor Mary Ryan <https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/m.p.ryan>, Vice 
Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial and a co-author on the 
briefing paper, said: “Safeguarding our planet and the health of future 
generations requires us to look not just at a problem from a single 
perspective, but to take a systems level approach. That’s why we need to 
look beyond just carbon and to consider human-made pollution in all its 
forms.

“Electric vehicles are a crucial step forward to decarbonise transport, 
but we need to look at the big picture too. Some are concerned that 
electric vehicles tend to be heavier, which might increase tyre wear. 
This is exactly why Imperial College London is driving a holistic, 
joined-up approach to sustainability challenges.

“We will continue to leverage the full strength of our research and 
influence to find meaningful solutions and help realise a sustainable, 
zero pollution future.”

In the briefing paper, the researchers discuss how tyre wear leads to 
these particles, where the particles end up, their potential effects on 
people and planet, and why we must act now.

Drawing showing where tyre wear particles end up. 10,800 tonnes in water 
treatment; 10,800 tonnes in surface water; 21,600 tonnes in road runoff; 
21,600 tonnes on the roadside; and 4,800 tonnes airborne. Where tyre 
wear particles end up, illustrated with model values from Wagner et al., 
2018


    Tyre wear particles

    We are growing increasingly concerned by the impact of tyre wear on
    human health. Professor Terry Tetley National Heart and Lung Institute

As tyres break down they release a range of particles, from visible 
pieces of tyre rubber to nanoparticles. Large particles are carried from 
the road by rain into rivers, where they may leach toxic chemicals into 
the environment, whilst smaller particles become airborne and breathed 
in. They are small enough to reach into the deep lung.

These particles may contain a range of toxic chemicals including 
polyaromatic hydrocarbons, benzothiazoles, isoprene, and heavy metals 
like zinc and lead.


      Environmental effects

Particulate matter from tyre wear is a significant source of 
‘microplastics’ in rivers and oceans, and tyre wear in cities could pose 
up to a four-fold greater risk to the environment than other microplastics.

    Tyre waste does not naturally degrade and instead builds up in the
    environment Dr Will Pearse Department of Life Sciences

While existing technological interventions, such as filters, and 
environmental policies could help to control our ecological footprint, 
there are huge gaps in our knowledge, understanding, and ability to 
forecast the impacts of tyre wear pollution.

Co-author Dr Will Pearse 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/will.pearse>, from Imperial’s 
Department of Life Sciences <https://www.imperial.ac.uk/life-sciences/>, 
said: “Tyre waste does not naturally degrade and instead builds up in 
the environment, and may interact with other pollutants as well as 
biological organisms.

"Our gaps in understanding make further research and development of new 
solutions vital so we can limit all types of vehicular pollution.”


      Health effects

Drawing illustrating the food chain, from primary producers such as 
algae and grass, to primary consumers such as flies and cows. Next are 
secondary consumers like fish, and then tertiary consumers like humans. 
Tyre wear particles accumulate in the food chain

The impact of tyre wear particles on human health is an increasing cause 
for concern, and the full long-term effects on our health urgently 
require more research.

There is emerging evidence that tyre wear particles and other 
particulate matter may contribute to a range of negative health impacts 
including heart, lung, developmental, reproductive, and cancer outcomes.

Co-author Professor Terry Tetley 
<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/t.tetley> of Imperial’s National 
Heart and Lung Institute <https://www.imperial.ac.uk/nhli/>said: “We are 
growing increasingly concerned by the impact of tyre wear on human 
health. As some of these particles are so small they can be carried in 
the air, it’s possible that simply walking on the pavement could expose 
us to this type of pollution.

"It is essential that we better understand the effect of these particles 
on our health.”


    Shifting gear

The researchers argue that reducing tyre pollution should be seen as a 
critical part of making transport cleaner and more sustainable, alongside

Microscope images of tyre wear particles Examples of tyre wear particles

reductions in CO_2 and other exhaust emissions. In tackling the climate 
crisis, we should design better systems and technologies to protect the 
environment; and research funding, government policy and regulatory 
frameworks should reflect this.

The report authors call for policymakers and scientists to investigate 
the complex problems related to tyre-wear pollution, from the basics of 
wear-particle production, to understanding how these particles affect 
the health of people and the planet. Potential innovation solutions 
include particle capture technologies, new advanced materials, and 
disruptive business models that encourage different transport choices. 
These need to be coupled to clear policy and regulation and to a broader 
discussion around urban transport systems.

The research efforts, they say, should include the following:

  * Establishing standardised ways of measuring environmental tyre wear
    levels and their toxicity.
  * Reducing harm to land and water species and in humans by tightening
    limits on the use of harmful components in tyre materials.
  * Launching new trials to better understand the short and long-term
    effects of different sized particles on the environment and human
    health.

  * Efforts to better understand underlying wear mechanisms and to
    propose wear mitigation strategies such as reducing vehicle weight,
    using advanced driving techniques, and ensuring tyre materials pass
    wear resistance regulations.

"Tyre wear particles are toxic for us and the environment 
<https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/101707/9/Tyre%20wear%20particles%20are%20toxic%20for%20us%20and%20the%20environment%200223-2.pdf>" 
by Tan /et al/.

See the press release of this article
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