The Tyre Collective x Zhero
The Tyre Collective partners with Zhero to pilot their tyre wear capturing devices in London
Key Facts
Tyre wear is the second largest microplastic pollutant, toxic to marine life and a major contributor to air PM pollution.
The Tyre Collective piloted their on-vehicle prototype for 3 months with London-based logistics company Zhero.
The device was able to capture a high purity of NEEs with particle sizes ranging from 0.3 to 100 microns, over half was below 10 microns (PM10).
You may have seen vans across London with a mysterious black box behind their rear wheels. From August to November 2022, The Tyre Collective partnered with London-based logistics company, Zhero, to pilot their tyre wear capturing device for 3 months. The box captures tyre wear and other non-exhaust emissions (NEEs) as it is generated.
Today, over a million tonnes of tyre particles are produced annually in Europe. It is the second-largest microplastic pollutant in our oceans and a major contributor to air PM pollution. This problem gets worse with electric vehicles (EVs) from the added weight and torque. Tyre wear has been linked to the die-off of salmon in the US West Coast. Today, there is a shift towards non-exhaust emission policies across the US and the EU. Tyre and brake wear will also be introduced in the upcoming Euro 7 guidelines.
The Tyre Collective, a London cleantech start-up, is spearheading the capture and monitoring of tyre wear, accelerating the shift towards true zero-emission mobility. They are developing the first on-vehicle device to capture tyre wear at the source. Their patent-pending technology uses electrostatics and airflow to attract tyre particles. Once captured, these particles can be upcycled as a micronised rubber into a variety of applications, creating a closed-loop system.
“What we’re talking about here is a global scale problem. And it’s going to require everyone to be aware of that and also contribute to implementing the solution,” says Siobhan Anderson, co-founder of The Tyre Collective. Following our on-vehicle test with CEVT in 2021, this pilot marks a huge milestone for The Tyre Collective and plans for a larger and longer pilot this year are already in discussion. Their prototype, TC02, was able to capture a high purity of NEEs, selectively capturing fine metal particulates, and tyre wear of particle sizes ranging from 0.3 to 100 microns. Over half was below 10 microns (PM10), the most harmful to human health and the environment.
Zhero is the first company in London to bring zero-emissions logistics to the arts, interior and fashion industries. Their mission is to offer greener logistics in London while providing clients with an unrivalled level of service.
“When we realized that there was a device in development that could help reduce and collect those emissions, we knew we wanted to be a part of that process.”
To achieve true zero emissions, there is a need to capture tyre wear. Tyre wear will become the leading source of vehicle pollution. Together, let’s save our air from tyre wear! For more information please visit The Tyre Collective’s and Zhero’s websites.
