Recent studies reveal that tire wear creates nearly 2,000 times more particulate pollution than what is emitted from exhaust pipes in cars.
Tire-derived particles contaminate air, water, and soil and contain a wide range of toxic organic compounds, including known carcinogens. This suggests that pollution from tires is far greater than previously thought.
Air pollution is linked to millions of premature deaths worldwide each year. As better filters become standard, particulate emissions from tailpipes in new cars are lower and commonly fall well below legal limits in Europe. Yet the heavier weight of newer vehicles, due to their larger size, means tires shed more particles as they wear on the road.
Tests show that a car tire can emit 36 milligrams of ultrafine particles per kilometer, particles smaller than 23 nanometers. These soot-like particles can enter the human body through the respiratory system and, because of their tiny size, can reach organs via the bloodstream. Particles below 23 nanometers are difficult to measure and currently receive limited regulatory coverage in both the EU and the US.
Tires are the real enemy of health
The emissions expert Nick Molden of Emissions Analytics notes that tires are rapidly approaching tailpipes as a major source of vehicle emissions. He led the research and explained the numbers driving the study.
Molden described how the initial estimate of tire particulate emissions prompted the new study. He pointed to a staggering release: approximately 300,000 tonnes of tire rubber from cars and vans each year in the UK and the US alone.
The current landscape shows a lack of regulation on tire wear rates and only limited rules governing tire chemical content. Emissions Analytics identified chemicals in 250 tire types, typically made from synthetic rubber derived from crude oil. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic. When total attrition is considered, the impact becomes strikingly large, Molden added.
Different tire brands show wide variation in wear rates and chemical composition. Even small changes can reduce environmental impact, as Molden emphasized.
A practical approach would be to eliminate the most toxic tires rather than requiring people to abandon driving or to adopt entirely new tire designs. If the worst performers could be replaced with the best in their class, the difference could be substantial. However, there is currently no regulatory tool or oversight to achieve this.
Tire wear tests covered 14 tire brands while a Mercedes C-Class was driven under ordinary conditions. High-precision scales measured weight loss, and a sampling system captured particles behind the tires to assess mass, number, and size down to 6 nanometers. Real-world exhaust measurements were taken from popular petrol SUVs using model years 2019 and 2020.
Used tires produced 36 milligrams of particulate matter per kilometer, about 1,850 times higher than the average exhaust emission of 0.02 mg/km. An aggressive driving style can push emissions much higher, to around 5,760 mg/km.
Tire particles are predominantly small, with the bulk being airborne. Although the majority of particles are small enough to be suspended in the air and contribute to pollution, they account for only a fraction by weight. Nevertheless, tires generate hundreds of times more airborne particles by weight than exhaust does.
Cars are getting heavy
The average vehicle weight has climbed in recent years. There is debate about how electric vehicles, which tend to be heavier and may deliver high torque, will influence tire wear. Molden suggests driving style will matter more than the powertrain itself. He expects slightly higher tire particles from electric vehicles on average, but lighter electric models could narrow the gap as technology advances.
James Tate from the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds notes that tire test results are reliable. Electric cars are becoming lighter over time, and projections suggest weights from electric and conventional vehicles may converge by 2024-25. Only high-quality, large electric models with substantial battery packs may stay heavier.
Recent research also links tire particles to broader environmental concerns, including microplastics in oceans and a tire additive suspected of harming salmon in the United States. California has recommended a ban on this chemical this month.
The United States appears more proactive in awareness of tire particle impacts, Molden observes, while the European Union lags behind in this regard.
Additional notes and inquiries point to ongoing environmental monitoring and research into tire-related emissions and their regulatory implications.
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