Tire and Road Wear Particles (TRWPs), composed of degraded rubber, minerals, and road dust, are a major global source of microplastics. Containing hundreds of chemical compounds originating from tires, these particles can affect both human health and ecosystems. However, their emissions, environmental fate, and impacts remain poorly quantified.

This Ph.D. project aims to address this gap by developing models to evaluate TRWP emissions, fate, and potential impacts, with the goal of integrating them into Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods. The research is structured around three components:

1. the development of a parameterized and regionalized inventory model to estimate TRWP emissions according to vehicle types and geographic contexts;
2. the modeling of environmental fate through a multimedia model inspired by SimpleBox4Plastics and USEtox to simulate their distribution, degradation, and sedimentation across environmental compartments; and
3. the assessment of potential impacts on ecosystems and human health through the calculation of a TRWP-specific characterization factor.

This project is conducted within the framework of international initiatives led by MarILCA and benefits from close collaboration with Michelin and the Tire Industry Project for data provision and model validation. The expected outcomes will improve understanding of TRWP behavior in the environment, enable better quantification of their effects, and ensure their systematic inclusion in future environmental assessments, supporting more sustainable industrial and policy decisions.