Outside industry, road vehicles are the major source of fine particle pollutants. These are not only released through the exhaust as a by product of fuel combustion but are produced through friction between road service and rubber tyre. Scientists classify these particles according to their size. Any particles with a smaller diameter than 10 micrometres (PM10) can be inhaled; anything smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM 2.5) is bound to end up in the lungs. According to an EU study, 310,000 people within Europe die annually as a result of illnesses directly attributable to these pollutants; 65,000 alone in Germany.

These tiny, invisible particles impact negatively on human Gesundheit (health) in many ways: bronchitis, asthma, and other allergies can be provoked by them. The tiniest particles, under 2.5mm, are the most dangerous of all since they bypass the body's natural "filters" in the nose and throat. Once bedded into the vulnerable tissue of the lungs the body has no mechanism for cleansing these away.

On the contrary, the build up of such detritus acts as a catalyst for cancers and chronic respiratory ailments. Nowhere in the EU has introduced legislation to regulate the emission of these fine particles. However, Germany is taking a lead in tackling the issue and the state of Baden Württemburg has recently established zones in Stuttgart, Mannheim, Ludwigsburg and five further localities in which all vehicles have to fulfil a number of "green" criteria. In order to demonstrate this, the owners of the vehicles in question have to affix a tax disc like declaration to their windshields. Any caught in these areas without this notice is fined 40 Euro and has a point added to their licence (even if their car was clean).

Another lever that can be used to influence the attitude of road users with regards to the environmental credentials of the vehicles they are driving is the cost of their Autoversicherung. The government of the Federal Republic has already discussed the viability of weighting Kfz Versicherung premiums in favour of low emission cars. 05/3/2008

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