Research: Car tires are the largest source of microplastics

According to research agency TNO, car tires are the biggest source of microplastics. Rubber for car tires is not the most used plastic in the Netherlands, but it produces the most tons of microplastics.

The microplastic is released, for example, when car tires wear out while driving.

Car tires are the largest source of microplastics

Plastic packaging is most commonly used in the Netherlands. After car tires, it is also the second largest source of microplastics. With the advent of more heavy cars with bigger tires, the popularity of SUVs and more – heavy – electric cars, tires will wear out faster. A relatively large amount of microplastic is also produced from agroplastics because it remains in the countryside and decomposes. Smaller rubber and plastic products also contain microplastics, such as the soles of your sneakers.

Microplastics are plastic particles that are smaller than 5 millimeters. Most microplastics come from the wear and tear and aging of larger plastic products like car tires. Microplastics are hardly broken down by natural processes and are therefore found in increasing amounts in animals and humans, among other things. It is estimated that there are around 130 kilotons of microplastics from packaging in the Dutch environment alone.

Strategies to reduce the small plastic particles

Not enough is currently known about the harmfulness of microplastics, but according to TNO, due to the health effects of other small particles such as fine dust, it makes sense to prevent the formation of microplastics as far as possible as a precautionary measure.

TNO has studied different strategies to limit the formation of microplastics. For example, expanding the deposit system can help, as can garbage disposal and the use of less quickly wearing material for car tires. With the help of such measures, the amount of microplastics can be reduced by 70 percent by 2050.