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Science X's Phys.org site describes a report about the harm from tire particles, which account for about a third of all microplastic contamination in the environment. Unlike other types of plastic, tire particles are smaller, have greater chemical complexity, and different behavior in ecosystems. Thus the call is for them to be placed in a new, separate enviromental category.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, highlights the gap in current knowledge about the environmental presence, transportation, and toxic impact of these particles. The authors have identified ten priority research questions across four key themes: environmental detection, chemical composition, biotic impacts, and regulation.
The research brought together an interdisciplinary network of experts from countries including the U.K., U.S., Norway, Australia, South Korea, Finland, Austria, China, and Canada. Their findings underscore the need for a standardized framework to quantify and manage TPs and their leachates, especially as the global presence of these contaminants rises.
A second study is being carried out on the effects from tire chemicals and particles on marine life in UK waters.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by ikanreed on Thursday November 21, @03:00PM (7 children)
Climate change is just one dimension of an ongoing ecological crisis caused by a constant need for more.
The amount of pollution caused by just cars is absolutely massive, and while the pressing need to not cook the planet is an important one, cars are the primary source of noise pollution, particulate pollution, and (when combined with road lights) light pollution. And early evidence suggests that EVs are actually worse on the particulate pollution front than ICEs.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Thursday November 21, @03:17PM
But they are so much FUN! And we have voted with our wallets to build beautiful smooth roads for them to drive on - the average US citizen pays more in taxes for roads than they accumulate equity in their home before they die.
Automobiles are just one step removed from exo-skeleton super-power suits for their drivers. Ever notice that most traffic jams are filled with single-driver vehicles? No coincidence, passengers aren't getting that juiced up rush of being able to run 10x faster while protected from weather, insects, direct communication with other people - provided with entertainment...
Addiction to automobiles is probably a significant factor in the declining birth rates among wealthy nations... although now that 3 row SUVs are becoming the norm, there's not so much: oh, let's stop at two kids, there's not room in the car for a third one...
When Skynet comes, it will probably seize control of the vehicular infrastructure first - how better to cripple h. sapiens in the modern world than to make them all walk?
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Deep Blue on Thursday November 21, @05:23PM (2 children)
Going to need a source for that. Also are you talking about trucks and such too or just passenger cars?
(Score: 4, Informative) by ikanreed on Thursday November 21, @06:37PM (1 child)
You do? Okay. I hope you don't mind I'm not using academic sources, because those are harder to pull a single sentence citation from.
Light pollution: [eschooltoday.com]
Noise pollution: [iberdrola.com]
As to particulate pollution, this very summary we're discussing tells us 30% of environmental microplastics are from tires. It doesn't mention the road dust that makes up a substantial part of other air pollutants, but it does.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Thursday November 21, @06:56PM
Our house is roughly 2km from the nearest expressways... there are homes built less than 200m from the 10+ lanes of 120+kph endless traffic. Nevermind the noise, how can they possibly think that breathing the crap that blows off that road, not only from the pavement and tires, but exhaust emissions as well, can possibly be acceptable in the long term? I mean, even with the windows always closed, homes still have significant air infiltration carrying the dust and soot.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bzipitidoo on Thursday November 21, @06:08PM
On the whole, electric motors are far cleaner than combustion engines. But yes, EVs can wear tires out faster. Maybe that's what you mean about EVs supposedly being worse on the particulate pollution?
EVs don't have to tear up tires. Go easy on the accelerator pedal, and if the car has driving "modes", use whichever one is gentlest on the tires. I think in all cases that would be the "eco mode" or equivalent, while the opposite is the "sport mode".
(Score: -1) by creimer_is_a_virgin on Thursday November 21, @06:33PM
Excuse me, but I need to order more aliexpress RC cars while sitting in my living room and eating processed corn products.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday November 22, @01:11PM
The problem with these narratives of sacrifice is that we genuinely need more else we get more people. Poverty is a key source of high fertility people which will cause bigger problems in the long run. Further, the ecological crisis is bad because parts of the world are poor. For example, the largest source of ocean plastics comes from 10 rivers in Asia and Africa, all developing regions of the world without the environment protections of the developed world (and by majority, I mean over 60%, 95% of 67% [soylentnews.org] of plastic in oceans).
It's telling that we don't actually know that there's an "absolutely massive" particulate problem in the first place! As to noise and light pollution, we have solutions to that which don't even require us to change cars in the first place (noise dampening and putting blinds in windows, for example).
And we're missing an absolutely massive, pressing need to improve the lives of 8+ billion people on Earth. Both for its own sake and because they become low fertility in the process!