Non-exhaust emissions come from wearing down motor vehicle brake pads, tires, roads themselves, and unsettling of particles on the road.[1][2][3][4][5] This particulate matter is made up of micrometre-sized particles and causes negative health effects, including respiratory disease and cancer.[6] Very fine particulate matter has been linked to cardiovascular disease.[7] Multiple epidemiological studies have demonstrated that particulate matter exposure is associated with acute respiratory infections, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease. [8] Researchers have also found correlations between exposure to fine particulate matter and fatality rates in previous coronavirus epidemics. [9]
Studies have shown that non-exhaust emissions of particles from vehicles can be greater than particles due to exhaust.[4][10]
The European Commission expects that "by 2050 non-exhaust emissions will constitute up to 90% of all particles emitted by road transport".[11]