The Hidden Pollution Beneath Our Roads:
Road Runoff Polution
By Aiden Ham
Embedded Files
When people think about pollution, the most common images are plastic in the oceans, smoke from factories, or chemical spills. However, one of the most overlooked sources of contamination comes from something as ordinary as a rainy day on a busy road. This problem, known as road runoff pollution, is quietly harming rivers, lakes, and ecosystems around the world.
Every time it rains, water flows across roads and highways and collects pollutants along the way. These include microplastics from tire wear, heavy metals from brakes, oil and fuel residues, and other toxic particles. According to The Guardian, road runoff is responsible for about 18 percent of river pollution in England, yet the problem has received very little attention from regulators.
One reason road runoff is so dangerous is because it is not always visible. Unlike plastic bottles or trash on beaches, these pollutants dissolve or settle into riverbeds where they are much harder to detect. According to researchers, metals such as zinc, copper, and lead can build up in fish and small aquatic organisms, which damages reproduction and weakens entire ecosystems. Microplastics from tires also remain in the water for long periods of time, and scientists warn that they can enter the food chain and pose risks to human health.
Another challenge is that most cities do not have systems designed to deal with this kind of pollution. Traditional wastewater treatment plants are not built to filter stormwater coming directly from roads. As a result, the contaminated water flows into rivers and streams without being cleaned. Experts say that investments in green infrastructure such as biofiltration systems, wetlands, or permeable pavements could help reduce the damage, but without stronger policies, the problem is likely to grow worse as traffic increases (The Guardian).
According to environmental groups, the striking thing about road runoff is that it is not caused by large industrial accidents or dramatic oil spills. Instead, it comes from everyday activities like driving to school, delivering packages, or pressing the brakes in traffic. It shows that pollution is not always about visible waste but also about the hidden and cumulative effects of ordinary life.
As governments work to address climate change and biodiversity loss, road runoff deserves much more attention. According to researchers and lawmakers, recognizing and regulating this issue could be a critical step toward protecting rivers and ecosystems. It may not be as visible as plastic waste, but its impact is just as serious.
Citaiton:
Laville, S. (2025). England’s toxic road runoff pollution being ignored, MPs told. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/04/englands-road-runoff-pollution-problem-being-ignored-mps-told? [Accessed 9 Sep. 2025].
fsfhannah (2025). Highway Runoff: An Overlooked Environmental Threat - The Final Straw Foundation. [online] The Final Straw Foundation -. Available at: https://finalstrawfoundation.org/highway-runoff-an-overlooked-environmental-threat/ [Accessed 9 Sep. 2025].
Friends of the Mississippi River. (2010). Yes, you can reduce ocean oil contamination! [online] Available at: https://fmr.org/yes-you-can-reduce-ocean-oil-contamination [Accessed 9 Sep. 2025].
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse