RE-BREATH
REduction of Brake wear Emissions in the Transport sector
Categories: Polluting emissions | Europeans | Anthropogenic impacts | In progress | Montelibretti
Keywords: technology | emissions | environmental monitoring | Air quality | sensors | sustainability | environmental assessment | risk assessment
Funding: Life 2021
Period: August 2022 - July 2025
Total project budget: € 3.241.827,28
Total budget CNR IIA: € 530.321,67
Scientific Responsible: Valerio Paolini

Abstract of the project

Re-Breath is an ambitious joint research project in the field of sustainable urban mobility that has been awarded European funding from the LIFE2021 program of the European Commission, with the aim of contributing to the transition towards a more sustainable economy and to the protection and improvement of environmental quality.
The challenge of “RE-BREATH” is to improve the knowledge of the emissions of non-exhaust micro particles generated by the braking systems from the mobility of Local Public Transport (TPL); assess their impact on people's quality of life and on the environment and, finally, design and develop an innovative and more environmentally friendly braking system for buses as well as intervening with green mitigation works. A new braking system will be installed on some buses of the urban lines in the cities of Bergamo and Bratislava, in order to detect emissions and wear of the system. An LCA analysis will be performed on the whole system.

The project started in August 2022 and has a duration of 36 months, with a total budget of €3.241.827,28 of which €1.945.096,28 financed by the European LIFE Program

Video Teasers

CNR-IIA is responsible for the testing and measurement of PM emissions of the new braking system during the demonstration actions both in Bergamo and in Bratislava. Consequently, it will conduct the data collection activities necessary to carry out the different assessments. It will also contribute to the optimization of the brake system design and the drafting of guidelines and recommendations and the post-life conservation plan. Finally, the CNR-IIA will also contribute to dissemination activities, participating in conferences and other national and international initiatives.
RE-BREATH will result in an increase in the quality of the air breathed by citizens, which will have an impact on their health and well-being and, ultimately, on their quality of life. It is linked to number 11 of the United Nations SDGs "Sustainable cities and communities". Regarding the automotive brake industry, RE-BREATH will be a technological flagship for the brake industry community towards a more sustainable use of resources by extending the lifespan of brake discs, looking at to more responsible consumption and production. Furthermore, RE-BREATH will demonstrate a new brake technology where public transport becomes the perfect example of an early adoption of a technology currently under development in an industry (e.g. passenger cars) that can be successfully transposed. in a new sector (for example, the public road transport sector).
BREMBO SpA
Arriva Italia
CNR (IIA and ISMN)
Arriva Sk
City of Bergamo




Valerio Paolini, Francesca Battistelli, Marco Torre, Ettore Guerriero

An atmospheric dispersion model was created for the cities of Bergamo and Bratislava, in order to evaluate the impact of brake wear on air quality:

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