Brake dust produces more of the most harmful kind of air pollution than vehicle exhausts, a new study finds.
Researchers have found that the metal-particle dust created by scraping the brake pads, accounts for a fifth of tiny particulate pollution on the roads.
By contrast, tail pipe fumes only make up seven per cent of the tiny particles found in roadside air - with the rest coming from sources such as wear and tear on tyres, clutch scrapings and general road dust.
Air pollution is estimated to be responsible for 64,000 early deaths a year in the UK, of which about three-quarters are due to particulate pollution.
Minuscule particles
These tiny particles measure less than 2.5 thousandths of a millimetre across, less than one thirtieth the width of a human hair. They can reach deep into the heart, lungs and bloodstream causing asthma, heart disease, lung cancer and strokes.
They can cause inflammation and weaken the body's immune system.
Researchers compared the damage caused by particulates from brake dust to that from diesel exhausts by looking at their effect on immune cells.
"Diesel fumes and brake dust appear to be as bad as each other in terms of toxicity.
Immune cells protect the lung from microbes and infections and regulate inflammation, but we found that when they're exposed to brake dust they can no longer take up and destroy bacteria," said Liza Selley, of the University of Cambridge.
"Worryingly, this means that brake dust could be contributing to what I call 'London throat' - the constant froggy feeling and string of coughs and colds that city dwellers endure," added Dr Selly, who worked on the study in her previous role at the Medical Research Council's Centre for Environment and Health.
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:
Do you have 'London Throat'? - why scrapping speed bumps could help
Scrapping speed bumps could help protect city dwellers against ‘London throat’ because braking releases toxic dust which may trigger coughs and colds, scientists have said.
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:
Sadiq Khan and TfL’s deregulation policy, that wasn’t thought through properly, has had a disastrous effect which has seen a depletion in the London Taxis fleet, causing a shortage of vehicles available to rent.
With the Mayoral election due in just a few weeks, any candidate for Mayor looking for the London Taxi and auxiliary trades vote, should be looking to change current rules and reintroduced the cleaner Euro 6 Vito Taxi which is currently being sold in the Provinces at a very affordable price.
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