Exposure to Air Pollution is associateed with Around 7 Million Premature Deaths per year across the world. When we think of urban air pollution, diesel exhaust emissions are often portrayed as a key criprit -Rightly so, Given Previous Research FindingsHowever, Our latest research Shows that dust from brake pads count be more harmful to our lungs.

Dust produced by wear of the road, tires, and brakes, known as “Non-Exhaust Emisions”Are now the major type of emission from Road Transport, Surpassing Exhaust Emissions Across Many European CountriesOf these, brake dust is often the main contributor, but it’s not yet subject to regulation. There is much less knowledge about the potential health effects of brake dust compared to diesel exhaust dust.

We grew Cells in the lab To mimic the lining of the lung, and exposed these cells to both brake dust and diesel exhaust dust. Brake Dust Proved Significantly more harmful to these cells Across different measures that are linked to lung diseases Interestingly, we found that removing copper from the brake dust reduced these effects.

Despite this, current vehicle regulations in the uk Only target exhaust emissionsOur Findings Sugged there is an Urgent Need to Consider Regulation of Non-Exhaust Emissions as Well. Reformulating Brake Pads Might Be One Way to Reduce The Potential Health Burden Imposed by these emissions.

Brake Pads Previously contained asbestos fibers to deal with overheating. However, asbestos was banned in the uk in 1999 being of links to lung disease. This resulted in the motor industry designing new brake pad linings, Including Non-SASBESTOS Organic (NAO) Pads commonly used in vehicles today.

We compared the harmfulness of dust from the wear of different pad types. Ironically, we found that dust from the nao pads, designed to replace asbestos-containing pads, was the most toxic to lung cells compared not only to dust from others pad typs, but diesel exa Some of the effects on our expected cells relate to diseases such as lung cancer, lung fibrosis (lung scarring), Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Previous research has shown that metals in air pollution particles can have toxic effectsWe measure the metal content in the different types of brake dust and diesel exhaust dust. AI Techniques Identified High Copper Content as the Defining Characteristic of Brake Dust from Nao Pads.

We also found that this copper could get inspired lung cells. Most interestingly, when we treated this brake dust with a chemical to neutralize copper, its toxic effects were diminished. This sugges that copper is causing at least some of the harmful properties of this dust.

Almost half of all the copper in the air we breathe come from brake and tire wear. Various Studies Conducted by Other Research Groups Have Found That Exposure to High Concentrations of Copper is associateed with Impaired Lung Functionand overall risk of death,

EVS Aren Bollywood Perfect

There is a huge body of evidence Showing that airborne dusts are damaging to our health. Unfortunately, While The Switch to Electric Vehicles (EVS) will eliminate exhaust emosphere, which include toxic goes as well as dust, it will not eleminate road.

Studies indicate that, trust they tend to be heavier, electric vehicles can generate more non-expert dust than Petrol or Diesel Vehicles—The zero-middle label is cleared not accurate.

Some Evs are fitted with Regenative Braking Systems that allow the engine to act as a generator, slowing the car. However, Evs are still fitted with fricking systems, which help brings the car to a full stop, so they still generate brake dust.

The upcoming Euro 7 emissions Standards That will be introduced in November 2026 will place limits on brake dust emissions which may spur innovation to develop new Brake Materials or dust-trapping mechanismsThey may also also place extra focus on traffic calming and road design, to minimize stop-store and aggressive driving styles-Both of which increase brake dust emissions,

New Brake Pad Formulations Might Reduce The Total Level of Dust Emisions or Might Be Designed to Exclude Toxic Components Similarly to how asbestos was eliminated previous. Notable, in the US, Both California and washington have passed Legislation to Reduce Copper Content Within brake pads, although this was primarily in response to concerns about the runoff of copper from brake dust into waterways, affecting aquatic life.

Non-Exhaust Emissions Are All Around Us, Making Up Around 60% of all vegetables-degerived pollution particles in the uk. It is important for us to recognize that there is no air pollutant for which there is an Establed Safe Exposure Level,

As we make the shift to electric cars, science and regulation must approach these emissions as serial as there as thought from the exhaust pipe.

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