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Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

latimes.com

121–130 of 232 posts

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#121
post #38

Imagine all the problems that would be solved if someone invented a car with metal wheels, maybe one that can hold hundreds of people, goes really fast, is quiet and efficient....

...and can only go to select locations at certain times that may or may not align with your final destination or schedule.

I mean cars have the same problems right? Or have traffic jams, road closures, and parking restrictions by time of day gone away?

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the article: >Rubber is also considered plastic, both natural (isoprene) and synthetic (styrene butadiene).

Definitely not what comes to mind when I think of plastics. I usually hear Bakelite quoted as the first invented plastic.

Synthetic rubber was, in fact, invented after Bakelite.

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#123
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last mile problem can only be solved by eliminating single family detached homes. You can only reduce the amount of energy required to move bodies so much, at some point you have to start reducing the distances traveled.

The original idea of the suburbs, prior to the model-T, was for them to be small, walkable villages spread along networks of commuter rail lines.

That is so funny. The original idea of the suburbs was for white flight and not for some villages along train tracks .

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#124

Imagine all the problems that would be solved if someone invented a car with metal wheels, maybe one that can hold hundreds of people, goes really fast, is quiet and efficient....

Imagine someone invented some form of city planning that does not require people to use cars.

They did, unfortunately no one remembered to bring it over from Europe.

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#125

Imagine all the problems that would be solved if someone invented a car with metal wheels, maybe one that can hold hundreds of people, goes really fast, is quiet and efficient....

The Michelin airless tire is getting close.. (still uses rubber but not nearly as much as conventional tires)

https://michelinmedia.com/michelin-uptis/

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#126
post #99
post #7

Are there tires that are not made of plastic?

I dunno about no plastic but there may be less plastic tires. Maybe. When I last bought new tires, I found out that tires lose a ton of their performance even at 50% wear rating. I thought I was doing well picking better tires than factory for my vehicles but it turns out any new tire would have had better handling because it was new. As is common, people don't talk about the problems with their product until they ha…

There are also significant decreases in performance due to wear isn't due to the material itself, but also the change in geometry. For instance, when rain grooves wear down, they're not able to channel away as much water.

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine someone invented some form of city planning that does not require people to use cars.

They did, unfortunately no one remembered to bring it over from Europe.

That did exist in the US Northeast when I was a kid. Most everything we needed could be walked to. Walmart, Home Depot, and other chains eventually killed off all the walking distance mom and pop restaurants, grocery marts and shops.

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#128
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does it have lead?

Because of leaded fuel and the principle of conservation of species and mass. Every atom of lead that ever passed through an American gas pump is currently laying around on American soil.

[deleted]

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#129
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably from tetraethyl lead, which wasn’t banned in common fuels until the 70’s in the US. That said, there are enough other sources of lead (e.g. old paint) that this isn’t guaranteed to be right.

Probably from tetraethyl lead, which wasn’t banned in common fuels until the 70’s in the US. Except in California, which had leaded fuel well into the 90's for rich people's collector cars. Another example of the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do sorts of things that happen in California.

Yep, California banned leaded fuel for automotives in 1992, 4 years before the United States federal government followed up.

https://archive.epa.gov/epa/aboutepa/epa-takes-final-step-ph...

Re: Car tires biggest likely source of microplastics in California coastal waters

#130

Imagine all the problems that would be solved if someone invented a car with metal wheels, maybe one that can hold hundreds of people, goes really fast, is quiet and efficient....

The Michelin airless tire is getting close.. (still uses rubber but not nearly as much as conventional tires) https://michelinmedia.com/michelin-uptis/

I'm not sure how this helps. The amount of rubber used is not as important as the surface area being deteriorated, which doesn't seem to be any different from conventional tires.
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