Audi develops filters to capture urban tire particulate runoff

The Audi Environmental Foundation and the Technical University of Berlin have announced that they are developing filters to deal with urban runoff. The filters will be used to prevent harmful substances, including tire wear particles, from entering bodies of water such as sewers and even rainwater. The collaborative project was first launched in September 2020 and will run for three and a half years.

“We also want to capture as many other pollutants as possible that accumulate on and around streets – beverage cans and cigarette butts, which unfortunately often end up on the sidewalk, as well as particles that are actually natural, such as sand, leaves and pollen from trees,” explained Joachim Wloka, Greenovation project manager, Audi Environmental Foundation, responsible for URBANFILTER.

Source: Tire Technology International