Car brakes pollute more than diesel—and nobody cares…
There’s a lot of talk about emissions from combustion engines and the impact of cars on air quality. But a recent American study has highlighted a problem that is discussed much less: the fine particles emitted by brake pads. According to researchers, these particles could be more toxic than diesel engine exhaust. And the worst part? They are hardly regulated.
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A problem affecting all cars, including Electric Vehicles
One might think that electrifying the vehicle fleet would solve the problem. But it’s not that simple. EV, although they use regenerative braking to reduce brake pad wear, are still affected. Their higher weight forces them to use their brakes more when they need to slow down abruptly, generating even more fine particles. In a way, it’s crazy that electric cars might pollute more than internal combustion engine cars… A study by the University of Southampton analyzed several types of brake pads and their impacts on human health. The results are concerning: car brakes release particles that can be more toxic than diesel engine emissions.
Toxic components in brake pads
One of the worrying aspects of this study is the materials used in modern brake pads. In the past, asbestos was commonly used for its thermal properties, but its ban pushed manufacturers to turn to other materials like copper. The problem? The copper particles released into the air are linked to increased risks of cancer, asthma, and chronic lung diseases. Researchers found that asbestos-free organic brake pads, widely used in the United States because of their affordable cost, are actually the most toxic for the lungs. Bad news indeed…
U.S. regulations still too weak
Unlike emissions from combustion engines, the particles from braking are hardly regulated. Some U.S. states like California and Washington have enacted laws to limit the amount of copper in brake pads, but these measures were implemented mainly to protect aquatic wildlife, not to fight air pollution. In Europe, the Euro 7 standard, set to take effect in 2026, will begin to limit these emissions—but only on new vehicles. The millions of cars already on the road will continue to produce these toxic particles without restriction, which is a real problem given the vast number of vehicles in the current fleet.
A potential solution thanks to supercars?
In the end, it’s pretty funny to imagine that supercars and hypercars, with their carbon-ceramic brakes, might pollute less than a “standard” car. But don’t be fooled—these types of brakes also release fine particles. The study doesn’t specify whether they contain copper, but they would be far too expensive to install on normal cars anyway. For your information, a set of four carbon-ceramic brakes costs around 8,000 to 15,000 dollars depending on the manufacturer…
This article explores the little-known pollution from our cars’ brake pads, which could be more harmful than exhaust gases. While electric cars don’t completely solve the problem, regulations remain lagging, leaving a major source of pollution largely ignored.
