Tire Wear: A Major Source of Microplastic Pollution

The European Union alone generates an estimated 450,000 tons of tire microplastics annually, making it the second-largest source after paint. These particles, shed from tires due to friction, contaminate the environment and potentially human health.

• Environmental Impact: Tire microplastics contribute to air pollution by increasing PM10 and PM2.5 levels, worsening urban air quality and respiratory health risks. They contaminate marine environments, rivers, and oceans via runoff, affecting marine life. They can also settle in soil, disrupting microbiota and plant growth, and may enter drinking water systems.

• Toxic Components: Tire particles contain synthetic and natural rubber, carbon black, and additives like 6PPD, some of which are toxic to aquatic species and can absorb and re-release other harmful substances.

• Euro 7 Regulation: The EU's Regulation (EU) 2024/1257, known as Euro 7, addresses this by setting new limits on dust emissions from tire and brake wear. It will take effect by the end of 2026, with specific compliance deadlines for different vehicle and tire types. For new passenger car tires (C1 class), type-approval limits for tire abrasion begin in July 2028, with a market ban on non-compliant C1 tires by July 2030. Similar timelines apply to light commercial vehicles (C2) and heavy trucks (C3).

• Emission Reduction Goal: Euro 7 aims to reduce microplastic emissions by 30% by 2030. The United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Standards (UNECE WP.29) is developing standardized test methods for tire wear dust emissions.

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