Although plastic particles in the air are increasingly coming into focus, knowledge about their distribution and effects is still limited. Chemical analyses from Leipzig now provide details from Germany for the first time: Around 4% of the particulate matter consists of plastic. Around two-thirds of this comes from tire abrasion.
Thinking back on how black my skin would become with tire dust, I’m amazed that masks aren’t required by OSHA on freight docks. I used to be so dirty at the end of a shift. I’m sure it didn’t have good impacts on my lungs…
To be fair forklifts do a lot more low-speed or static turning which causes significant tyre wear, but compared to the sheer volume of car traffic…
Not to mention the abuse that fork lift drivers put on them due to speed expectations. Few drivers use their brakes, and just blast the transmission from forward to reverse or vise versa.