National Highways: quantifying microplastic contribution from the Strategic Road Network

Quantifying tyre wear and other microplastics originating from the Strategic Road Network (SRN) via stormwater runoff
National Highways attenuation pond for microplastic removal
Abrasion of vehicle tyre tread at the tyre-road interface has been identified as a potentially major source of microplastic pollution. Funded by National Highways, this research aims to quantify tyre wear and other microplastics originating from the Strategic Road Network (SRN) via stormwater runoff. It further explores some of the factors influencing the generation of tyre wear particles and the efficiency of existing drainage management systems such as attenuation ponds for microplastic removal.
The project demonstrated the effectiveness of retention ponds and reed beds to trap these particles as they were washed from the roads by rainwater.
South West retention pond, National Highways
Retention pond in the South West
Tyre wear particles captured from the road network in wetlands used to trap stormwater. Taken at the University of Plymouth Scanning Electron Microscopy Unit
Tyre wear particles, University of Plymouth Scanning Electron Microscopy Unit
Wetlands in the Midlands, National Highways
Wetlands in the Midlands

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