Car Burnouts & their Environmental Impact

09 Sep 2023

 

Car burnouts are a popular activity among car enthusiasts, especially in the summer months. Burnouts involve spinning the wheels of a car at high speeds, causing the tires to smoke and leave rubber marks on the ground. While it may seem like harmless fun, car burnouts can have a severe impact on the environment.

Toxic Chemicals

When a car burns out, it releases toxic chemicals from the burned rubber in the tyre smoke. The chemicals such as benzene, butadiene, and styrene are harmful to human health and the environment. These chemicals cause respiratory and skin problems due to their toxic nature. The tyre smoke also contains harmful particles that can contribute to smog, which can lead to global warming. Furthermore, the tyre smoke contains tiny particles that are harmful to wildlife as they can accumulate in their bodies, causing long-term health problems.

Cocktail of Pollutants

The tyre marks left behind after a burnout contain harmful chemicals that can leach into the environment. The chemicals can pollute the soil and nearby waterways, causing harm to plants and aquatic animals. The rubber takes a long time to decompose, resulting in long-term damage to the environment. The chemicals can also cause soil toxicity that can lead to plants dying and animals not having anything to feed on, thus creating a food chain crisis.

Threat to Wildlife

Car burnouts also pose a threat to local wildlife, especially kangaroos. These nocturnal creatures are often injured in car collisions and can be chased and frightened by the loud noise and smoke caused by burnouts. Burnouts can make the kangaroos unable to hunt for food, leading to starvation, resulting in a significant decrease in their population.

It's essential to remember that car burnouts are not harmless fun. They have long-term environmental impacts and can harm the local wildlife, particularly kangaroos. It's crucial to educate others about the impacts of car burnouts and discourage this activity. Encourage others to share their experiences and do it on track, where it's legal and safer. We need to be responsible and considerate towards our environment and wildlife to create a sustainable future.