https://sj.jst.go.jp/news/202510/n1016-04k.html

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.124278

A research group at the Material Cycles Division of the National Institute for Environmental Studies and colleagues has clarified the contamination status of tire-derived microplastics (MPs) across Japan. The researchers examined the concentration of MPs in sediments at 36 sites across 11 prefectures from Hokkaido to Okinawa, including coastal marine areas and lakes, detecting MPs at 32 sites. They found that these particles are transported through rivers to seas and lakes, where they settle and accumulate in sediments along with mud and organic matter that flow out from terrestrial areas.

The behavior of chemical substances such as additives contained in tires will be examined in future studies.