In the coming years the construction of four motorways is planned in Poland: two motorways running east—west (A-2 and A-4) and two running north—south (A-1 and A-3). In spite of their obvious advantages, motorways have adverse environmental impact too. Busy traffic and higher speeds of motor vehicles result in adverse effects to the environment, bringing about contamination with exhaust gases; there is an extensive spread of toxic agents and also noise emissions. The author discusses pollution of air with toxic fractions of exhaust gases. He also deals with lead contamination of cultivars in orchards along motorways and of tree leaves in roadside compact tree belts.