Forum: Do more to curb pollution from non-exhaust emissions

I applaud the Land Transport Authority’s recent moves to curb air pollution from vehicle tailpipe emissions by stopping the registration of new diesel cars and taxis from January 2025, and tightening the smoke emissions limit for foreign commercial diesel vehicles from April 2026.

However, it is high time that we recognised that non-exhaust emissions arising from the wear and tear of tyres, brakes and road surfaces are also an important source of air pollution.

Research has shown that pollution from tyre wear and tear alone can be 1,000 times worse than that from tailpipes.

Even more worryingly, a significant amount of the emitted pollutants are PM10, PM2.5 and PM0.1 particles, which have been linked to respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

This is all the more important in the light of Singapore’s ongoing switch to electric vehicles (EVs), which made up one-third of new cars sold here from January to May 2024.

Although EVs eliminate tailpipe emissions, they are often heavier than their internal combustion engine counterparts, which exacerbates tyre wear and tear, brake wear and tear, and road abrasion.

PM2.5 readings in many parts of Singapore already exceed the World Health Organisation’s air quality guideline.

The Government must act to ensure that the health of all Singaporeans, the majority of whom do not drive, is not further endangered by rising non-exhaust emissions.

This can be done by introducing a limit to the weight of new vehicles that can be bought, and regulating the quality and composition of the tyres that can be fitted to these vehicles.

Adopting these measures will help safeguard the health and well-being of Singaporeans.

Lim Jia Yi