By Sebastien Dorelas
It was all an EV dream
Although electric cars (EVs) account for a slim percentage of overall vehicle sales, they have been part of the North American landscape for almost a century. Vehicles powered by batteries have been around since the industrial period. During the last decade, the federal government offered up to $5,000 to Canadian individuals and businesses for the purchase of EVs. Thanks to this measure, tailpipe emission was declining. While this incentive aimed to help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by Canadians, it seems like it wasn’t just the end of the fight against gas guzzling vehicles. The ambitious EV dream has also brought its own shares of challenges to us. One of them is about plastic.
EVs, plastic and tires
According to the Conference Board of Canada, 1.6 million vehicles are retired from Canadian roads annually. Every car that is junked has about 175kg of different plastics inside. Currently, there are no technologies on the market to recycle all plastics. And tires are essentially made with plastics. The situation gets more complicated because, there is a significant correlation between the rise of electric vehicles and the increase in microplastic pollution. Globally, billions of vehicles worldwide shed an estimated 6 million tonnes of tire fragments. And, unfortunately, EVs have been the major contributor to the problem.
Microsplastics
In fact, they increased tire wear while causing greater pollution. This is mostly due because of their weight. Studies indicate that EV tires can wear out 20- to- 50% faster than those on conventional gasoline cars. These microplastics, composed of synthetic rubber and various chemicals, are then released into the air, soil, and waterways, eventually reaching oceans. This presents a new challenge in the push for sustainable transportation, highlighting the need for innovative tire designs and materials to mitigate this often overlooked environmental footprint.
Consequences…
Microplastics generated from tire abrasion are a serious environmental concern. Tires wear down while driving. Over time, their particles have a considerable impact on water, soil and air. Additionally, tires also contain several chemicals. Some of them are toxic and will most likely end up contaminating the environment. To put it simply, fish are exposed to these elements, which would potentially affect humans who eat them regularly as a source of protein. Let’s also consider the air we breathe. Air quality is an important concern in urban areas. Inhaling the residue from microplastics traveling long distances can also affect us, thus creating major health risks.
All about the environment
While it’s true that EVs are better for our air quality, we cannot ignore the offset of their tire erosion resulting in another form of pollution. As of now, scientists are still conducting studies to evaluate the long-term impact of microplastics from tire abrasion. Consumers should be aware that they need to mitigate the impact of microplastics while using electric vehicles while hopefully incorporating awareness into all aspects of their daily lives. The planet will thank you for it. .