Plastic microparticles from road tyres are “high concern” pollutants

New research says that plastic bits from road tyres are very bad for the environment. They can be too much for some places that are already dirty.

Some researchers, from the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth, have studied how the plastic bits and the chemicals from them can hurt some popular tyre brands.

Tyre particles harm water animals

The researchers studied how the plastic bits and chemicals from the tyres affected small water animals, the water flea (Dapnia magna).

They found that the plastic bits from the tyres affected the water flea's growth and reproduction. They also observed the plastic bits in the water flea's stomach. The researchers also looked at the liquid that came out of the tyre material with some bad chemicals. The study found a lot of zinc, titanium strontium and many other chemicals. More than 50 of these chemicals were very bad for the environment.

The researchers said that the tyre bits are very bad for the environment. They said that they should be careful about them in some places that are already dirty.

The Journal of Hazardous Materials published the research. It is part of a big project called TYRE-LOSS, led by the University of Plymouth.

Paul Boisseaux, who wrote the study and is from the University of Exeter, said: “Tyres are very bad for wildlife because they have many bad chemicals and small bits that can be eaten, so they hurt them in different ways”.

Many cars, buses and other vehicles use tyres. They are very common in modern life. The tyre industry is growing bigger every year.

Tyres pollute water with bits

Tyres make small bits when they are used on roads. These bits are very bad for the environment. Many of them go into the water near the roads. About 18 per cent of these bits go into freshwater, and two per cent go into where the river meets the sea.

Some research said that there may be many of these bits in the environment. But it was not clear how they hurt the water animals.

For this study, the researchers used different tyre brands from around the world to make a mix of tyre bits. They studied how the tyre bits and the chemicals from them hurt the water flea, a small water animal.

They found that, in three weeks, the tyre bits were more bad (half of the water fleas died when there was 60 mg.L‑1 of tyre bits) than the chemicals alone (half of the water fleas died when there was 542 mg.L‑1 of chemicals).

The results suggest the particles were more toxic to water flea than the more commonly studied polyethylene microplastics.  

Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS, Head of the International Marine Litter Research Unit at the University of Plymouth, leads the TYRE-LOSS project and is a co-author on the new study.  

He said: “Our previous work has shown that road debris is a major source of microplastics in the environment. In recent years, we have been working with partners across research and industry to determine how those particles distribute and their potential to cause harm.  

“This new study is of key importance because it demonstrates the potential for harmful effects on an aquatic invertebrate species, at concentrations similar to those we have recorded near to roads in the UK. It is clearly an area we need to explore further.” 

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