Asbestos was banned from the brake pads of cars more than ten years ago, but
the copper that replaced it may be polluting the soil and harming wildlife. A
study by the Swedish Environment Protection Agency found that concentrations of
the metal on roadside verges are between two and three times as high as
background levels, and they are increasing. 鈥淚t seems that we have traded a
health problem for an environmental problem,鈥 says Bo Bergback, the study鈥檚
author from Kalmar University in southern Sweden.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles