Here at Inhabitat we’ve covered many designs for greener roadways – from solar streets and kinetic-energy generating roads to that machines lay out fully-assembled streets. However a U.S. company called Pureti, Inc. has devised a plan to roll out pollution-fighting roads that actually clean up vehicle emissions.
Pureti, Inc. is currently conducting a field study of a pollution-fighting road surface treatment that can be used on asphalt and concrete. The treatment utilizes naturally-occuring titanium dioxide, which is a photocatalytic agent that reacts with sunlight to break down volatile organic compounds and other airborne pollutants.
A research team from Louisiana State University have been field-testing Pureti’s product on both concrete and asphalt in a bid to find out its effect on air pollutants as well as its effect on the surrounding environment. According to initial test results, there was a 70 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide , which contributes to smog and acid rain. It is also expected to cut the levels of sulphur dioxide, but this has yet to be confirmed. With so fossil-fueled vehicles still on the streets, it is almost ironic that the roads they travel on could be utilized to reduce their emissions.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The U.S. currently has more than 5.7 million miles of paved highway, so Pureti, Inc’s pollution-fighting treatment could make a tremendous dent in auto emissions, stemming global warming and cutting down on environmental pollution like acid rain.
+ Pureti Inc
Via Clean Technia
Lead photo © Dusted