Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of tyre degradation on air pollution.
At Defra’s request, the Air Quality Expert Group produced a report considering the whole range of non-exhaust emissions resulting from road vehicles, i.e. tyre degradation, road surface wear and brake wear.
Particulate emissions from non-exhaust emissions are estimated to make up 7.4% of total UK emissions of fine particulates (PM2.5) according to the 2016 National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and tyre wear comprises approximately 2.5% of this.
Regarding emission reduction from tyre wear, tyre design and formulation is an important option for reducing emissions and we will continue to work with international partners seeking to develop new international regulations for particulate emissions from tyres and brakes through the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, as well as with other international initiatives.