Car tires shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment. Urgent action is needed
phys.org
Every year, billions of vehicles worldwide shed an estimated 6 million tons of tire fragments. These tiny flakes of plastic, generated by the wear and tear of normal driving, eventually accumulate in the soil, in rivers and lakes, and even in our food. Researchers in South China recently found tire-derived chemicals in most human urine samples.

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/20009882

Car tires shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment. Urgent action is needed

Electric cars are not THE solution.

  • menemen@lemmy.ml
    22·
    9 days ago

    Yeah, in Germany there is already a lot of pressure on sewage network operators to get it out of the rainwater (we have many separate sewer systems). And that is honestly quite annoying. Put the pressure on the polluter (car/tire industry and car drivers), not the troubleshooter.

    It is also a waste of money and space. The facilities to get it out are huge and expensive. This is also naturally paid for by the general public.

    • Lysergid@lemmy.ml
      3·
      8 days ago

      Problem is that there is no good mechanism to put pressure on polluter in this case because any additional cost will be paid by consumer. We need to develop transit, design cities and reform job market to the point where cars are just not competitive.

      Bob and Alice will be riding car if nearest mall is 10 km away and you need 1,5h to get there by bus. They also will ride car if Bob can’t rely on tram schedules or Alice have to go to the office despite working in globally distributed IT business. We need systematic approach to the problem.

      • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
        1·
        7 days ago

        Put that cost pressure on then invest heavily into public transit that does not rely on tires. If you have high frequency service (at least every 20 minutes, ideally closer to 5) then relying on a tram schedule isnt really a big deal. If the tram has priority at intersections, it is much easier to stay on schedule.

        • LovesTha🥧@floss.social
          1·
          7 days ago

          @FireRetardant @Lysergid If you want people to actually use PT for most trips, 20m frequency is woeful. 20m is okay if you only expect it to be an option for people lucky enough to have a direct service (so CBD commuters).

          5~10m frequency at all times still means waiting 10~20m for a normal trip, as a normal trip will include 2~4 services.

          Also the cost pressure before alternatives are viable is cruel to those who can’t pay. And mostly not needed. A good PT will be used without the pressure.