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 While emissions are becoming more and more limited for the betterment of the environment, there’s another source of pollutants that’s going unregulated. According to global testing and data specialist Emissions Analytics, pollution from tyre wear can be up to 1000 times more than exhaust emissions themselves.

There is no regulation against nonexhaust emissions (NEE), or a genuine public appreciation of their detrimental effect. However, NEE particles released into the air from brake and tyre wear, road surface degradation and re-suspension of road dust during on-road vehicle usage can cause a great deal of concern for air quality.

Emissions Analytics tested tyre wear using a family hatchback running on new, correctly inflated tyres. Following the testing, results showed that the car emitted 5.8 grams of particles per kilometre, compared with regulated exhaust emission limits of just 4.5 milligrams per kilometre.

“The challenge to the industry and regulators is an almost complete black hole of consumer information, undone by frankly out-of-date regulations still pre-occupied with exhaust emissions,” says Nick Molden, CEO of Emissions Analytics.

“In the short term, fitting higher-quality tyres is one way to reduce these NEES and to always have tyres inflated to the correct level.

“Ultimately, the car industry may have to find ways to reduce vehicle weight too. What is on the horizon is much-needed regulation to fight this problem. Whether that leads to specific types of low-emission, harder-wearing tyres isn’t for us to say, but change has to come.”