While considering the pollution by automobiles, air pollution from exhaust is the only thing that strikes our mind. Most of us are unaware of the fact that automobile tires also hugely contribute to microplastics pollution.
According to UK experts’ emission analytics, tire wear pollution is about 1000 times more harmful than car exhaust fumes. Pollution from these tires is the harmful invisible particulate matter. Particulate matter consists of microscopic solids or very fine liquid droplets, when inhaled results in serious health issues.
For tackling this issue, team known as ‘The Tire Collective’ has created a prototype device that traps the microplastics that come off your wheels as you drive.
The device is placed on the back of the vehicle tires, close to where it touches the road. It prevents microplastics from polluting the environment.
As the tire rolls, positively charged carbon in rubber particles fly off of it. These charged tire particles are collected electro-statically within the device’s storage unit. One can remove and empty these fragments to be recycled.
Team has already tested the prototype on a stationary lab-based rig. The tires were subjected to the sort of friction they would experience while in use on the road. Team is planning to commercialize the technology as soon as possible.
Image courtesy: The Tyre Collective
