I have to replace my tires every 60 000-100 000 KM as the tires wear down and the rubber comes off as I drive. If this is happening with all cars, why arnt the roads coated in rubber? Is somebody cleaning the tire rubber off the road? Is it getting washed away from the rain and into drains/the ocean? How long does it take for rubber to degrade that has come off the tire?
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Why are you assuming that the loss takes place in the form of adhesion to the road surface? It’s rubber, not paint, so the loss is often in the form of fine dust that simply becomes airborne. Some heavier particles do settle on the road, but as you suspected they get washed away.
It’s better to think of this as producing rubber “dust” of varying particle sizes, and then the reason why the roads aren’t covered becomes obvious. Wind, runoff, and road cleaning as you suspected.
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