TIP said the TRWP mass balance model addresses how these particles move through waterways, an area that remains understudied.
Tire Industry Project (TIP) announced the publication of a scientific study introducing a TRWP mass balance model for understanding the movement and concentrations of tire and road wear particles in land and freshwater.
The mass balance model presents a methodology to track and predict, with high spatial granularity, how particles move through watersheds across diverse climates and regions.
TRWP are particles unintentionally generated at the frictional interface between the tire and roadway during vehicle use. As scientific and regulatory interest grows, tools that generate reliable data are essential to understanding environmental pathways. TIP said the model addresses how these particles move through waterways, an area that remains understudied.
Data Sources Used in TRWP Mass Balance Model
The TRWP mass balance model uses global and local datasets and open-source modeling frameworks, including the ERA5 global climate dataset by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Wflow catchment hydrology model by Deltares. Researchers validated the model against field measurements from watersheds on three continents.
Validation sites include the Seine River basin, the Chesapeake Bay basin and the Yodo River basin. The model applies at a watershed scale across regions with varying climates, basin characteristics and stormwater systems.
Findings From the Mass Balance Model
Results from the three watersheds show variation in how much TRWP reaches surface waters. Amounts reaching estuaries range from 2% to 18%, depending on basin size, urbanization levels, climate and stormwater infrastructure.
The study indicates that improvements in stormwater systems can reduce TRWP transport to surface waters by up to half. These findings highlight the role of infrastructure in mitigating environmental impact.
TIP Statement
“Having a robust, reproducible model for TRWP transport and fate that can be applied worldwide is essential for advancing both scientific understanding and practical solutions,” said Nicolas Tissier, director of research at TIP. “Our role at TIP is to support rigorous, transparent science that helps researchers, policymakers, and industry make evidence-based decisions. By making this model open access, we aim to support broader collaboration across the scientific community around TRWP in the environment, and to enable the development of more effective mitigation strategies.”
The TRWP mass balance model builds on earlier work and extends the modeling approach to a global scale. The next phase of development is underway. TIP said it will focus on making the model accessible to users beyond the scientific community.
