Tyre emissions do more damage to health than exhaust fumes, researchers find

Experts call for regulation of tyre and brake emissions

Tyre emissions do more damage to health than exhaust fumes, researchers find
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Tyre emissions are more than 1,000 times worse than those emitted from the exhausts of the latest models available today, an investigation by Emissions Analytics has found.

Researchers found that tyres release 5.8 grams of harmful emissions for every kilometre.

It compares to just 3.5 milligrams of harmful substances produced from exhaust pipes of some of the latest vehicles.

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Experts say those who breath in the dangerous particles, some as small as 2.5 micrometres in diameter, can cause permanent damage to their lungs and heart.

In some cases, extended exposure can cause aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat and non-fatal heart attacks.

The level of pollution can be even higher if a car’s tyres are under inflated or the road surface is riddled with potholes.

Despite the findings, vehicle tyre wear pollution remains unregulated.

“A very serious problem”

Richard Lofthouse, senior researcher at Emissions Analytics said: “It’s time to consider not just what comes out of a car’s exhaust pipe but particle pollution from tyre and brake wear.

“Our initial tests reveal that there can be a shocking amount of particle pollution from tyres — 1,000 times worse than emissions from a car’s exhaust.

“What is even more frightening is that while exhaust emissions have been tightly regulated for many years, tyre wear is totally unregulated – and with the increasing growth in sales of heavier SUVs and battery-powered electric cars, non-exhaust emissions (NEE) are a very serious problem.”

“Sensationalist claims”

Not everyone agrees with the findings though.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, told This is Money: “Making sensationalist claims based on testing of a single vehicle is not credible and, quite frankly, irresponsible.

“Emissions from safety-critical brakes, tyres and road surfaces are very difficult to measure, and a challenge already taken seriously by the sector, governments and a UN global group, which are working together to better understand, and agree, how to test them in a scientific way.”

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