Another benefit of EVs - less brake dust pollution

[SidecarFlip]

That is allright. I have a 14 Focus hatch, 5 speed and I get 41 with the ac on. Everyone I know calls it a Fu*ckus so all good. No electric vehicles here, never will be. If I lived in an urban area maybe but at the end of the power line on a dirt road, 3 miles to the pavement, ain't gonna happen.

Wife has a Burb with a V8 that cannot pass a filling station. Think it has Arabs running behind the tailpipe.

 

[Smolder]

That's engine braking, not generating power while braking and a lot noisier.

Still stops some of the “scary particles” though right?

 

[Smolder]

I’m guessing the dry salt beds they strip mine (with diesel machinery) for lithium make more particulates than the brake dust saved... especially since recycling hasn’t gotten to lithium in any meaningful way (which hopefully happens).

 

[begreen]

The ICE engine has it's fair share of impact too, but point taken. Lion batteries are recycled now, but the tech is changing.

It’s time to get serious about recycling lithium-ion batteries

A projected surge in electric-vehicle sales means that researchers must think about conserving natural resources and addressing battery end-of-life issues

cen.acs.org

 

[SpaceBus]

Still stops some of the “scary particles” though right?

Would you breathe in metallic particles by choice?

 

[Smolder]

Would you breathe in metallic particles by choice?

Oh god... i would be far more worried about the tar dust from the road itself. Not to mention every car has a filter now. This is an amazingly non-existant problem.

 

[SpaceBus]

Oh god... i would be far more worried about the tar dust from the road itself. Not to mention every car has a filter now. This is an amazingly non-existant problem.

I mean, except for people that live near roads, which is most people.

 

[Smolder]

I mean, except for people that live near roads, which is most people.

Maybe if you lived along a nascar track... The world we live in is sanitary compared to just one generation before (i still fondly remember the smell of leaded gas exhaust), life expectancies are still climbing. I would honestly worry about being fat more than brake dust destroying lungs/environment/world.

 

[Ashful]

Maybe if you lived along a nascar track... The world we live in is sanitary compared to just one generation before (i still fondly remember the smell of leaded gas exhaust), life expectancies are still climbing. I would honestly worry about being fat more than brake dust destroying lungs/environment/world.

You’re right that obesity is a bigger epidemic than anything caused by brake dust. But the OP wasn‘t saying it was, I think the title was, “ANOTHER benefit...”.

The other thing worth noting is that while obesity is more often a factor of one’s own life choices, the exposure to the various pollutants of vehicular traffic are largely dependent on the choices of others.

Damn, did I just say that? I’m starting to sound like begreen.

 

[SpaceBus]

You’re right that obesity is a bigger epidemic than anything caused by brake dust. But the OP wasn‘t saying it was, I think the title was, “ANOTHER benefit...”.

The other thing worth noting is that while obesity is more often a factor of one’s own life choices, the exposure to the various pollutants of vehicular traffic are largely dependent on the choices of others.

Damn, did I just say that? I’m starting to sound like begreen.

Indeed, the point being that I don't have a realistic choice about breathing in nasty air. Sure, I could live in the bush, but that's a little dramatic for the sake of clean air.

 

[Smolder]

Indeed, the point being that I don't have a realistic choice about breathing in nasty air. Sure, I could live in the bush, but that's a little dramatic for the sake of clean air.

The “particle hysteria” is ironic considering that people have a million years of leveraging particulate producing fuels in order to survive.

Simply put, particulate levels are lower now in our inhabited areas when compared to any other point in mankind’s history.

This should have wiped us out... no?

 

[begreen]

Simply put, particulate levels are lower now in our inhabited areas when compared to any other point in mankind’s history.

That's quite a statement. And debatable considering how much smaller populations were way back when. Source?

 

[ABMax24]

That's quite a statement. And debatable considering how much smaller populations were way back when. Source?

I'm not sure that it needs to refer to regional air quality. Look at the use of open fires for heat, cooking, etc. The amount of particulates inhaled from these sources would have been immense.

The fundamental issue with comparing this to modern times is life expectancy. The results of continuous inhalation of fine particles usually shows up later in life, often beyond the life expectancy of these people.

 

[begreen]

I'm not sure that it needs to refer to regional air quality. Look at the use of open fires for heat, cooking, etc. The amount of particulates inhaled from these sources would have been immense.

The fundamental issue with comparing this to modern times is life expectancy. The results of continuous inhalation of fine particles usually shows up later in life, often beyond the life expectancy of these people.

I was assuming this referred to atmospheric particulate levels, not those in the local hut or cave. That's why I asked for the source of this claim.

 

[ABMax24]

I was assuming this referred to atmospheric particulate levels, not those in the local hut or cave. That's why I asked for the source of this claim.

I would agree that's what it was referring to. My point being point sources would have probably played more of a role in adverse health effects.

 

[Ashful]

Of course most of us enjoy better air quality is better today than some locales at specific times in the past. Pre-Victorian London or Paris were horrendously bad, but so was the respiratory health of their citizens. We are healthier today, thanks to improved sanitation and urban air quality.

A look at the disparate death rates of corona virus by nation and region will make one quickly consider the potential impact of air quality on our overall health. There are many factors wrapped up in that, but urban air quality appears to be one of them.

 

[Smolder]

That's quite a statement. And debatable considering how much smaller populations were way back when. Source?

I should have said that populated areas are cleaner than they have ever been. We live with relatively clean air and water in our settlements now.

Population density of a Neolithic settlement was probably similar to that of a suburb now (maybe a little denser). Within that populated area you would have had open hearth fires inside and outside for heat, cooking and forging all powered by sod, peat, wood or dung... in more recent times North America heat was almost exclusively coal in the second half the 1800s to the mid 1900s when oil became the fuel of choice... today vs 30 years ago i can drive by most pulp mills, generating stations or refineries and hardly, if not at all, smell anything. What would you say isn’t right about this statement?

 

[Smolder]

Of course most of us enjoy better air quality is better today than some locales at specific times in the past. Pre-Victorian London or Paris were horrendously bad, but so was the respiratory health of their citizens. We are healthier today, thanks to improved sanitation and urban air quality.

A look at the disparate death rates of corona virus by nation and region will make one quickly consider the potential impact of air quality on our overall health. There are many factors wrapped up in that, but urban air quality appears to be one of them.

Corona virus vs air? I think baseline health and age of the population are the factors followed closely by how quickly those severely affected are given critical care... no?

 

[begreen]

What would you say isn’t right about this statement?

With that clarification, for Euro/Americans yes. But for many parts of the world (most if based on population centers) no.

 

[begreen]

Corona virus vs air? I think baseline health and age of the population are the factors followed closely by how quickly those severely affected are given critical care... no?

The virus's effects seem to be worse for those with compromised respiratory systems which are more common in Asiatic cities due to the high level of air pollution. Interestingly, sex also appears to be a factor. The mortality rate appears to be much higher for men. That has me wonder if smoking is a factor.

 

[semipro]

Related:
Based on my experience with EVs I'd suggest that tire-related emissions may be more than with ICE vehicles.
(broken link removed to https://money.yahoo.com/tire-wear-pollution-1-000-065934359.html)

 

[begreen]

Related:
Based on my experience with EVs I'd suggest that tire-related emissions may be more than with ICE vehicles.
(broken link removed to https://money.yahoo.com/tire-wear-pollution-1-000-065934359.html)

Yes, that has always concerned me. Gets washed into our rivers, lakes and Puget Sound.

 

[Ashful]

Related:
Based on my experience with EVs I'd suggest that tire-related emissions may be more than with ICE vehicles.
(broken link removed to https://money.yahoo.com/tire-wear-pollution-1-000-065934359.html)

Add to that the fact that most (at least around here) Tesla's are AWD, and even more and more ICE's are AWD, tire wear may be on the rise.

 

[begreen]

Time for hovercars and mr. Fusion.

 

[ABMax24]

Related:
Based on my experience with EVs I'd suggest that tire-related emissions may be more than with ICE vehicles.
(broken link removed to https://money.yahoo.com/tire-wear-pollution-1-000-065934359.html)

I call total BS on that article. Unless you are burning donuts there is no way you are emitting 1000 times more emissions from the tires than the exhaust. They say 4.5 milligrams per km for exhaust emissions, 1000 times that would be 4.5 grams per km of tire wear. If i car had tires that weighed a total of 100 kg that would mean in 22,000 km the entirety of all 4 tires would be worn away. Not to mention the wearable part of the tire, the tread, makes up a fairly small portion of the mass of the tire, the carcass of the tire that doesn't wear makes up far more mass.