 | |
| Location | Global |
|---|---|
| Cause | Improper disposal of rubber products Wear and tear, abrasion of rubber products |
| Participants | Various environmental organizations |
Rubber pollution, similar toplastic pollution, occurs in various environments, and originates from a variety of sources, ranging from thefood industryprocessing chain totire wear.[1][2]Synthetic andnatural rubber dust and fragments now occur in food, airborne asparticulates inair pollution, hidden in the earth assoil pollution, and inwaterways, lakes and the sea.[3]
Vehicletire wear is a major source of rubber pollution,[4][5][6] other sources can be fromartificial turf[7](usually made from shredded old tires)[8] and rubberO-rings and seals.[1] Tyre and road wear particles (TRWP) or tire wear particles (TWP) are a direct result of the road surfaceabrasion during vehicle transit and are thought to be released into the environment at a rate of 6 million tons year,[9] with theUnited States and theEuropean Union emitting roughly 1120,000 and 1327,000 tons annually.[10] In Switzerland, they are estimated to be responsible for 90% of the microplastics released into the environment. Road water treatment systems recover around a quarter of this amount, with the rest ending up in the environment.[11]
Both brand and season application affect the tire composition but rubber is usually the main component besides several additives such as, oils,fillers,vulcanisation chemicals and other chemicals added to increase performance.[10][9][8] A concern is that, unlikeexhaust emissions, tire wear pollution is not regulated,[6] despite several studies documenting their potential toxicity.[10] Some devices are nonetheless being developed in an effort to reduce the amount of particulates expelled from tire wear and otherwise ending up in the environment.[12] Although not immediately visible to the naked eye, tire dust makes up a significant portion ofroad debris.[13][14]
It is believed that between 10 and 18 percent of the TWP released each year enter aquatic environments and can even be found in remote locations due to atmospheric transportation.[10][9] However, it has been found that sediments are sinks for TWP and that the surface water concentration of these particles is much lower.[8][9] Understanding the effect of these particles is challenging as the chemical leaching rate from TWP depends on environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and salinity, as well as the particle size and composition of TWP.[10][8]
Very fine rubber dust particles can, depending on the classification be counted asmicroplastic (because rubber is just anotherpolymer) or separately, as fine rubber because its constituentmonomers, the required additives, and the type of chemical bond mesh is slightly different. In a similar vein, rubber pollution is often implicitly mentioned whenplastic pollution is addressed.[15]
6PPD-quinone, anantiozonant used in rubber tires, has been found to kill endangeredCoho Salmon when it accumulates into waterways from tire wear pollution.[16]
[2016] there was a significant increase in the number of recorded recalls of food products contaminated with rubber, a 22% surge compared to 2015. (Source: US market, Food Safety Magazine)
All that rubber that gets worn off your tires has to go somewhere. And according to her research, a lot of it winds up in lakes, streams, and rivers.
It is estimated that an average passenger vehicle tyre lasts for 40,000-50,000 km before it is worn out, with approximately 10-30% of its tread rubber emitted into the environment. ... A wide range of chemicals can be found in vehicle tyres, depending on required performance standards and the manufacturing company. It has been reported that a common-sized all season passenger commercial tyre contains approximately 30 kinds of synthetic rubber, 8 kinds of natural rubber, 8 kinds of carbon black, steel cord for belts, polyester and nylon fibre, steel bead wire and 40 different chemicals, waxes, oils, pigments, silica and clays.
Wear and tear from tyres significantly contributes to the flow of (micro-)plastics into the environment. ... The estimated per capita emission ranges from 0.23 to 4.7 kg/year, with a global average of 0.81 kg/year.
