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Driving with flatter tyres increases the amount of microplastics released into the environment

23 May 2023

Our Dr Samantha Garrard explains in a new article published in The Conversation UK why you should check your tyres: maintaining the correct tyre pressure could help reduce the level of microplastics entering the marine environment.

‘Driving with flatter tyres increases the number of tyre wear particles that are released into the environment. These particles – less than a millimetre in size – have been classified as microplastics due to their chemical makeup.  

Tyre wear stands out as a major source of microplastic pollution. It is estimated that between 8% and 40% of these particles find their way into surface waters such as the sea, rivers and lakes through runoff from road surfaces, wastewater discharge or even through airborne transport.’ 

[Source: The Conversation UK ‘Check your tyres: you might be adding unnecessary microplastics to the environment’

Read the new article by our Dr Samantha Garrard - published by The Conversation UK – which explains the worrying effects these prevalent microplastics are having on marine animals, and, how you can avoid adding unnecessary tyre wear particles into the environment by maintaining correct tyre pressure: 

The Conversation: Check your tyres: you might be adding unnecessary microplastics to the environment >>