The potential impact of tire and brake wear particles that are released onto the road on the ecosystem often goes unnoticed, both in terms of their impact on ecosystems and human health. Every day, tons of fine particles generated by tire and brake wear circulate in the air, constituting a major source of air pollution and microplastics in the environment.
What Happens to Tire and Brake Wear Particles?
The particles that remain on the road are inevitably transported by heavy rain and contribute to the pollution of rivers with microplastics, ultimately reaching the oceans. Smaller particles, at the micro and nano scales, can be small enough to be transported in the air and be inhaled. Joshi et al. (3) studied whether tire wear micro and nanoparticles can enter our bloodstream and/or cross cellular barriers, as well as the damage these particles and their constituent chemicals cause to our health.
Epidemiological studies have also shown the harmful effects of exposure to particles from tire and brake wear. In fact, tires produce over a ton of ultrafine particles (23 nanometers) per kilometer traveled. Their size allows them to penetrate organs through the bloodstream (4) and can lead to cases of inflammation or even cancer in severe cases.
Can Tire and Brake Wear Pollution be Prevented?
While the current development of electric vehicles helps reduce CO2 pollution, it does not reduce the emissions from tire and brake wear particles. Electric vehicles, being heavier, can have a higher wheel torque, resulting in a higher production of particles. According to a report by the OECD (5), pollution from tire and brake wear is set to become the main source of pollution from cars by 2030, surpassing exhaust emissions as the major source of vehicle emissions.
Micro and nanoparticles are difficult to measure and are currently unregulated in both the EU and North America. New solutions need to be implemented for the capture of particles from brakes and tire wear. The development of high-friction brake pads, onboard particle capture and collection, as well as vehicle control and modulation to reduce tire particle emissions, are some examples of solutions proposed by researchers to reduce the impact of these particles on the environment.
Companies that are innovating in this sector are likely to be eligible for several funding programs including government grants, and SR&ED.
