Madrid gets in on the pollution-cutting asphalt action

It looks like the Dutch aren't the only ones looking to snag some car pollution before it gets too far from the source, with Madrid now also paving at least one of streets with a special asphalt of its own that promises to capture up to 90 percent of the pollutants on a sunny day. Unlike the special mix of concrete used in the Dutch town of Hengelo, however, this method apparently uses a layer of a product called "noxer" that's affixed to regular asphalt which, again, produces a reaction that turns the captured nitrogen oxide into a more harmless material that can be washed away whenever it rains. What's more, Madrid is also rolling out another type of pavement that contains recycled tires in other parts of the city, which it hopes will cut down on the city's noise pollution. No word on any plans to combine the two just yet though.

[Via Autoblog Green]

[Xenoterranos @ Aug 13th 2008 12:41PM]

I wonder what it could turn the NO2 into that wouldn't affect the environment? I mean, it's going to have nitrogen in it, and thus be a fertilizer, which could be bad news for any nearby bodies of water. Ah well, I guess massive amounts of aquatic algae are better than smog. :\

[Ignatius @ Aug 13th 2008 3:41PM]

I remember reading this on Autobloggreen. It's turned into nitrates.

[Poke4Christ @ Aug 13th 2008 12:47PM]

Now this is just cool. Considering that one of the major reasons the US is one of the big poluters is cars. If we had this on all our roads that would help a lot. I wonder if it lasts as long as normal roads.

[eiki @ Aug 13th 2008 1:00PM]

hail, great one

[kjb434 @ Aug 13th 2008 1:04PM]

Many parts of the US have been using asphaltic concrete with recycled tires for years.

This is a very old way of making pavement cheaper and reducing noise.

The material in tires is much difference than what is used to bind the rocks in asphaltic concrete (asphalt is the just black goo holding the rocks together).

Tires and asphalt come from the waste of refining oil into gas, jet fuel, and diesel. All of this comes from one barrel of oil in the refining process.

[h0rk @ Aug 13th 2008 1:07PM]

catalytic converters, fancy absorbing tarmac... all are just sidestepping the fact that we are using hideously outdated technology to move us from one place to another. the petrol engine design hasnt changed much in the last few decades.

[From My Cube @ Aug 13th 2008 1:11PM]

the thing I dont get is doesnt vehicle exhaust rise up? All that gas hardly touches the pavement. I know some exhaust tips angle it down but SUV's, Semi's and any other big vehicles sit to high off the ground

[moondawg @ Aug 13th 2008 2:33PM]

SOME parts of exhaust will rise.... SOME will fall. If they are (roughly) heavier than diatomic Nitrogen, they will fall, and if they are lighter, they will rise.

So, NOx (Oxides of nitrogen, where "x" is generally 2 or 3) will FALL towards the pavement. Since these are the pollutants that this pavement is trying to curb, it is a good solution.

[jorvay @ Aug 13th 2008 1:15PM]

And what kind of environmental impact does the manufacture and distribution of this stuff have? If it's less than the impact reduction that it creates in use, then awesome. otherwise, we're just moving the source of the crud in our air.

[Carl Lumma @ Aug 13th 2008 1:15PM]

Man, driving that 'heavy 8-wheel truck that packs the asphalt down' must be the funnest job in the world.

[cheater @ Aug 13th 2008 7:09PM]

I second that notion.

[Crashmaxx @ Aug 13th 2008 2:56PM]

Here in PA, I'd just be happy if they paved the roads more then once a century.

[Tim @ Aug 13th 2008 6:56PM]

seriously, I use to drive through Pennsylvania on my way from NC to Mass, and hated it every time. It was so much rougher than the rest of the trip- and I was 8 then, im sry to hear it hasnt improved in the decade since

[Frank @ Aug 13th 2008 4:09PM]

I hope they are only installing this across the plains, because after all, The Rain in Spain stays mainly in the Plain!

[stomper @ Aug 13th 2008 4:32PM]

Why not put the same stuff they are putting into the pavement into exhaust pipes?

[jorjitop @ Aug 13th 2008 8:10PM]

Rome has used a type of pollution absorbing concrete in certain tunnels for some time now.