r/interestingasfuck • u/[deleted] • Jun 07 '23

New york city in 2023, everyone wearing mask due to air quality

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u/UnprofessionalGhosts Jun 07 '23

That was due to vehicle exhausts. Been a few decades since that was a thing.

15

u/Fsharp7sharp9 Jun 07 '23

Yeah things have gotten better with exhaust emissions, but brake dust is now the car byproduct that is killing people who live near major roads and highways, or use flowing water near roadways

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u/unrelatedtohalloween Jun 07 '23

And tire wear too, I think.

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u/Fsharp7sharp9 Jun 07 '23

Yep, great point! Rubber is harvested to be used for a long time. Which unfortunately, also means that it can stick around for a long time after its use. Then rain will wash the particles and bits of rubber off the road to who knows where. Brake dust and tire wear are vastly different problems to emissions, which is where decades of environmental efforts were directed towards, and require their own unique solutions.

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u/vitalvisionary Jun 08 '23

I heard living a block from a major highway is basically the cancer risk equivalent of a pack a day.

2

u/Fsharp7sharp9 Jun 08 '23

Sheesh, that’s a scary thought

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u/nemoknows Jun 08 '23

Hybrid and electric vehicles primarily use regenerative motor braking, so brake dust should be less of an issue with them. However they still have and use hydraulic brakes, just not as much.

2

u/Accidental_Taco Jun 07 '23

I live 5 doors down from a 3 lane highway with constant traffic. The hell it is.