FIA Deploys Track Particulate Filtration System in the Netherlands, Covering 3,300 Square Meters in August

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is collaborating with the Technical University of Berlin and German company Urbanfilter to install filtration devices in track drainage systems to intercept pollutants such as tire wear particles. The first filtration system was put into operation during the Zandvoort Grand Prix in the Netherlands from August 21 to 23.

Tire particle pollution is an environmental challenge shared by both motorsport and everyday road traffic. During Formula 1 races, racing tires shed large amounts of rubber debris—commonly known as "marbles"—at high speeds, some of which are so small they are invisible to the naked eye. These particles enter drainage networks through water flow systems and eventually reach rivers, lakes, and oceans. On everyday roads, pollutants such as rubber, dust, and microplastics enter the environment through the same pathways.

To reduce the amount of these harmful particles entering ecosystems, the FIA, together with the Technical University of Berlin and Urbanfilter, has developed filtration devices suitable for track drainage systems. Urbanfilter integrates the filtration system directly into street drainage channels, capturing pollutants near their source. The system features a modular design that intercepts microplastics, tire wear particles, and other road pollutants while maintaining effective rainwater flow. According to Nicolas Aubourg, Head of Research and Development at the FIA, laboratory tests show the system can capture up to 99% of particles in water, requiring maintenance only about once a year.

Engineers collected particle samples from the Zandvoort circuit to understand the specific characteristics of particles generated during racing events, and the findings informed the design of two prototype filtration units. These units have been integrated into the track's drainage network, covering a 3,300-square-meter area near the pit lane and the famous Tarzanbocht hairpin, intercepting rainwater before it leaves the track and retaining particles that would otherwise be carried off-site.

Aubourg stated that for civilian vehicles, particulate emissions come not only from the powertrain but also from brakes and tires. These particles are released into the air and onto the ground, and when it rains, they enter waterways with stormwater, potentially reaching the ocean over time. He noted that this issue is increasingly serious for society, and motorsport can help address it. Formula 1 has often served as a testing ground for new technologies before they are applied to civilian vehicles—much of today's knowledge about biofuels and hybrid systems in road cars originates from motorsport. The FIA is not only focused on its own environmental impact but also aims to use race weekends to test technologies that could be applied to public roads in the future.

A 2024 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that approximately 2.7 million tonnes of microplastics entered the environment in 2020, a figure expected to double by 2040. Another 2024 international study led by the University of Portsmouth found that tire particles alone account for about 28% of global microplastics entering the environment.

The Zandvoort circuit is located on the coast, and the FIA considers it an ideal testing site because protecting the surrounding water quality is crucial. The devices will provide operational data under real race conditions, allowing researchers to evaluate long-term performance. Aubourg stated that if the prototypes prove successful, the solution could be promoted to other circuits in the future, and these filters could be left in place for everyday road traffic after races to reduce particles entering the environment.