ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF STUDDED TYRES ON ROAD PAVEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT (II)

In order to reduce a negative impact of studded tyres on the environment (i.e. emissions of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particulate matter and noise) various scientific investigations are carried out to decide if the use of studded tyres shall be allowed or prohibited. This is especially topical for the countries belonging to the northern latitudes of the Earths hemisphere where in winter months the air temperature drops below 0 degrees C, i.e. Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland), East and Middle Europe (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, etc.), also USA, Japan, Canada and Russia. Based on the scientific investigations that the use of studded tyres causes emissions of pollutants, especially Of PM2.5 and PM10 (Al, Si, K, S, Zn, W etc.), into the ambient air several tens of times higher than by the use of non-studded tyres and generates the increase in the noise emissions up to several tens of times, it could be stated that the use of studded tyres should not be obligatory. Thus, in mild Lithuanian winter when the air temperature often varies around 0 degrees C the use of studded tyres when travelling, of icy and more rarely cleaned roads of Lithuania should be only recommended since the ice layer of the road pavement is effectively surmounted by the new generation winter tyres, i.e. less dangerous for the environment, manufactured from a more soft rubber mixture, containing a chemical element silicon.