A new study concludes that plastic from tires generates vastly more microplastic waste than any other source. It’s also carried by the wind, hence the title Atmospheric transport is a major pathway of microplastics to remote regions.

The average emissions are about .81 kg (1.78 pounds) per capita, for a total of 6.1 million tonnes; brake wear adds another half of a million tonnes. And this isn’t just from burning rubber like my photo, it’s from regular use, the wear and tear of driving. It was thought that most of this entered the oceans via rivers, but it turns out that they are airborne, and are found deposited on ice in polar regions.

Here is an example from a study in Norway, where you seee wear and tear from Car tires is by far the largest pollutor:

We really need to be more conscious on what we buy, how we use it and how we recycle.