Estimated global emissions
~6 Mt
Estimated tyre wear particles emitted globally each year in the cited literature.
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TYRE DUST POLLUTION
The pollution
you cannot see.
Every journey leaves something behind. As tyres meet the road, tiny particles wear away and enter the air, soil and water around us.
~6 Mt
estimated global tyre wear/year
~0.8 kg
global average/person/year
0.1–100 µm
typical particle range
GLOBAL SITUATION
A hidden stream of pollution from everyday transport
Tyre wear is a non-exhaust source of particulate pollution. Unlike exhaust emissions, it remains even as vehicles become cleaner.
Per person
~0.8 kg
Approximate global average tyre wear emitted per person per year.
PM2.5 contribution
5–30%
A modelled range for the share of traffic-related PM2.5 attributed to tyre wear, depending on local conditions.
Important: these are estimates rather than a single universal measurement. Results vary with fleet composition, tyre type, road surface, driving behaviour, weather and local emissions.
REGIONAL VIEW
Tyre wear differs dramatically between regions
Vehicle numbers, vehicle weight, distance travelled and road conditions all influence tyre-wear emissions.
United States4.7 Mt
Europe (EU)1.5 Mt
Global average0.81 Mt
China0.71 Mt
Brazil0.65 Mt
India0.23 Mt
Why numbers vary
A region with more vehicles does not automatically have the highest emissions per vehicle. Vehicle weight, kilometres travelled, tyre composition, road surface and driving style all influence wear.
The key message
Cleaner exhaust does not eliminate non-exhaust pollution.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Every trip creates tyre wear
Tyre dust is created through ordinary interaction between tyres and roads.
1
Tyres abrade against the road surface every time a vehicle accelerates, brakes or turns.
2
Abrasion releases particles typically between 0.1 and 100 µm; the finest fraction can remain airborne.
3
Settled particles are re-suspended by passing traffic and washed into drains by rain.
4
Heavier vehicles, higher speeds and aggressive driving can increase tyre wear.
5
Electric vehicles are heavier on average, which can offset some of their zero-exhaust advantage.
WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS?
Small particles. Large consequences.
Tyre-derived particles can move through several environmental pathways after they leave the road.
Human health
- Fine particulate matter is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
- Tyre-wear particles can contribute to exposure to particulate pollution.
- Laboratory studies show tyre-wear leachate can cause oxidative stress.
- 6PPD-quinone, a tyre antioxidant breakdown product, is highly toxic to some aquatic species.
Environment
- Tyre particles accumulate in roadside soils and road runoff.
- Tyre wear is considered a major source of primary microplastics.
- Metals and chemical additives can leach into water bodies over time.
- Particles can move from roads into rivers, lakes and oceans through stormwater.
Wildlife
- Runoff reaching streams can expose aquatic organisms to tyre-derived chemicals.
- 6PPD-quinone has been associated with acute toxicity to coho salmon.
- Soil organisms can be exposed through tyre-particle deposition along road corridors.
WHERE IS IT WORST?
Urban roads are important hotspots
Dense traffic, heavy vehicles, frequent braking and acceleration can increase tyre wear and particle accumulation.
Illustrative hotspots
Los Angeles, USA92
Delhi, India88
Beijing, China81
London, UK74
São Paulo, Brazil68
Dense urban corridors
Stop-start traffic creates frequent acceleration, braking and turning.
Freight routes
Heavy vehicles can create higher tyre loads and greater wear.
High vehicle ownership
More vehicle kilometres can mean greater total tyre-particle emissions.
Coastal cities
Runoff can move road particles toward rivers and marine environments.
REAL IMPACT ON OUR PLANET
From road to ecosystem
Tyre particles can travel through several connected environmental pathways.
Air
Adds to PM2.5 and PM10 in cities where exhaust emissions have already fallen.
Soil
Deposits along roads and can affect soil chemistry and organisms.
Water
Rain and runoff carry particles into drains, rivers, lakes and oceans.
Ecosystems
Tyre-derived chemicals and particles can affect aquatic life and other organisms.
DAILY LIFE
This pollution starts with ordinary journeys
Tyre dust is closely connected to the way we move around cities.
Driving
Every kilometre driven causes some material to be lost from the tyre tread.
Road dust
Tyre particles mix with other road dust and can be re-suspended by traffic.
Rain & runoff
Rain washes particles from roads into drains, streams and other water bodies.
Homes
Outdoor particles can enter buildings through windows, ventilation and footwear.
ENERGY & ECONOMY
The cost goes beyond the road
Tyre pollution creates environmental and management costs that are easy to overlook.
Health costs
Particulate pollution can contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular health burdens, creating costs for individuals and communities.
Street management
Street cleaning, drainage maintenance and sediment management can require additional resources.
Water treatment
Where runoff contains high pollutant loads, water treatment and ecosystem restoration can become more important.
Changing regulation
Vehicle policy is increasingly looking beyond tailpipe emissions to include non-exhaust sources such as tyre abrasion.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Reduce tyre wear at the source
There is no single solution. Vehicle design, driving behaviour, infrastructure and transport choices all matter.
1. Keep tyres correctly inflated and properly aligned.
2. Choose tyres designed for lower abrasion where suitable.
3. Drive smoothly and avoid harsh acceleration and braking.
4. Reduce unnecessary vehicle trips and vehicle weight where possible.
5. Support road-runoff filtration and effective street sweeping.
6. Use public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure where practical.
The biggest solution is changing how we move
Better tyres and better driving can reduce wear, but reducing unnecessary vehicle kilometres through public transport, walking and cycling can address the source even more directly.
QUICK FACTS
Remember these four things
A car tyre can lose roughly 100–200 g of mass over its life per 1,000 km driven, depending on conditions.
Tyre wear is estimated to be a leading source of primary microplastics entering the environment.
Tyres contain synthetic rubber, carbon black, silica, oils and chemical additives.
Non-exhaust emissions can rival or exceed exhaust particulate emissions in some urban environments.
SOURCES
Explore the evidence
The Tyre Dust information is based on the sources used in the original Tyre Dust concept.
EARTHAWARE
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