New Tests Show Your Exhaust Isn’t the Biggest Polluter on Your Car
According to new data, toxic particle pollution from tire wear could be almost 2,000 times worse than tailpipe exhaust.
Written by Allison Stone
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
We’ve all heard the phrase “burning rubber” when it comes to cars, but it’s not often we stop to think about what it really means. At first glance, the regular wear and tear on your tires seem like one of the more harmless aspects of
car ownership
, but the friction created between your car’s tires and the road is actually accountable for a serious amount of air pollution
. According to
The Guardian
, tire particles contain a wide range of known carcinogens as well as other toxic compounds and end up in our air, water and soil. Recent analysis has also shown that it may be a bigger issue than previously thought. Tire pollution may even contribute just as much to pollution as tailpipe emissions, which have long been blamed as the main toxic side effect of car ownership. The car insurance experts at
Jerry
have broken down key factors of this new research, and what it means for you. What the tests revealed about car pollution
An independent emissions testing company, Emissions Analytics, conducted research on just how much road wear could be contributing to pollution.
“Tires are rapidly eclipsing the tailpipe as a major source of emissions from vehicles,” said Nick Molden of Emissions Analytics, as reported by The Guardian. “Tailpipes are now so clean for pollutants that, if you were starting out afresh, you wouldn’t even bother regulating them.”
The tests were conducted in Europe, which has overall stricter emissions standards as well as vehicle weight limitations when compared to the US, as well as a higher adoption rate of electric cars.
However, particles smaller than 23 nanometers, which includes many of the particles created by road wear, are hard to measure and not currently regulated in the US or the EU.
“We came to a bewildering amount of material being released into the environment – 300,000 tonnes of tire rubber in the UK and US, just from cars and vans every year,” said Molden.
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Emissions are getting cleaner, but cars are getting heavier
While many cars in Europe and the US are below the legal limit for weight, cars are getting heavier overall.
Heavy vehicles like SUVs and trucks are still extremely popular among American drivers, but they’re not the only ones carrying some serious weight on the road. While hybrids and electric cars help to eliminate tailpipe emissions, they tend to be heavier overall than a gas-powered cars of the same size.
This is because the lithium-ion battery packs that power electric cars are incredibly dense, and carry a lot of added weight.
There are currently no regulations or ratings in place that measure the wear rate of tires or the toxic chemicals contained within, but experts think that imposing some could make a vast difference.
Testing tires for toxicity levels and eliminating the most toxic ones from the marketplace could be a big step in the right direction.
MORE: Washington D.C. Rolls Out New $500 Fee for Heavy Cars
How to reduce pollution from cars
If you want to reduce your personal impact on tire pollution, there are a few steps you can take. Keeping your car in good condition, particularly your tires, is key. Keeping your
tire pressure
maintained at optimum levels will not only maximize the amount of time before you need to replace them, but it will reduce wear when driving. If you’re looking into buying a more eco-friendly car, save big on your car insurance plan with
Jerry
. A licensed broker, Jerry can source quotes from 55+ top insurance companies in less than 60 seconds. In under a minute you’ll see offers from Travelers, Progressive, and more! The average user saves over $800 per year on car insurance.
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