Car tyres shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment – urgent action is needed

Summary

Car tyre wear accounts for approximately one quarter of all microplastics released into the environment, with tiny rubber and plastic fragments accumulating in soil, waterways, and food as vehicles drive normally. This source is largely invisible to consumers but represents one of the largest and most difficult-to-control contributors to the global microplastic burden, demanding urgent regulatory and engineering responses.