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25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

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Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#41

Post by protomyth »

collyw wrote: post #22
SCAQTony wrote: post #15

And 16-container ships create as much pollution as all the cars in the world. Perhaps these ships are softer targets to correct than tens of millions of cars? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229857/How-1...

Can we have some proper references rather than the Daily Mail. Its the UK's equivalent of Fox news. They have a pro car owning readership, so any headline like this will be welcome to them

Here is the write-up from the Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/09/shipping-...

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#42

Post by sliverstorm »

moey wrote: post #38
sliverstorm wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would mandatory smog checks never be politically feasible? They are not just a California-only thing.

Because the Big Three car makers and the National Association of Manufacturers run this state. They said it will "increase costs" and "cost tons of jobs" if a smog law was passed, since they will have to spend more to pass the tests.

You would think those groups would be in favor of regular smog testing, as it accelerates the retirement of old vehicles.

The automakers resisted adding smog equipment (which did increase costs), but that battle is already lost. They already make exclusively 49- and 50-state emissions legal vehicles.

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#43

Post by danudey »

collyw wrote: post #19

Here in Europe (well UK and Spain whee I have lived and owned a car) you need to get a check every year for older cars, and that includes an emissions test. Don't you get that in the States / Canada? (It would appear that the study was done in Canada). Saying that, go to many less developed country and the cars are far worse condition. My friend always used to claim that the environmental cost of producing a new car…

We had a similar program in British Columbia, called AirCare. Unfortunately, people realized that you could use solutions to flush impurities out of your engine, and then if you let your gas tank get close to empty then put a quarter tank of premium in, your car would burn cleaner and get you a pass, even if it would normally fail.

Eventually the program was scrapped, due to fewer cars failing (8%, down from 14%, which is still too high IMHO), and likely as a way of gaining political capital with the public in advance of an election.

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#44

Post by akallio9000 »

crxgames wrote: post #12
paulshapiro wrote: post #4

What does "badly tuned" mean? I feel like there is a need for a lot more clarity. Anyone have the source study (or know what it is). I'd like to know more.

Badly tuned generally refers to incorrect AFR (air-fuel ratios). These can not only cause lower power, but increase the amount of unburned fuel and other chemicals in the exhaust. On some high performance cars you can even go as far as using the fuel's injection to cool combustion and decrease knock in the combustion cycle of the engine...sometimes this can lead to a richer AFR (more fuel in exhaust gases) which caus…

Most (if not all) cars decrease the air/fuel ratio on wide open throttle, which ensures lack of air to burn pistons, etc., as well as cooling the charge to allow greater volumetric efficiency. Carburetors had a "power valve" to accomplish this, fuel injected vehicles usually have a vacuum hose attached to the fuel pressure regulator to increase fuel pressure temporarily. A fouled O2 sensor, mass air flow sensor or manifold air pressure sensor could throw off the ratios during normal operation. I'd venture to guess that "badly tuned" implies a misfire (probably a fouled spark plug) causing an entire cylinders worth of raw gas dumped into the atmosphere. This excessive fuel will melt down the catalytic converter which exacerbates the problem.

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#45

Post by SCAQTony »

collyw wrote: post #22
SCAQTony wrote: post #15

And 16-container ships create as much pollution as all the cars in the world. Perhaps these ships are softer targets to correct than tens of millions of cars? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229857/How-1...

Can we have some proper references rather than the Daily Mail. Its the UK's equivalent of Fox news. They have a pro car owning readership, so any headline like this will be welcome to them

The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC): http://www.nrdc.org/international/china-controlling-port-air...

NRDC info graphic: http://www.nrdc.org/international/files/china-controlling-po...

Industry Tap: http://www.industrytap.com/worlds-15-biggest-ships-create-mo...

The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/09/shipping-...

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#46

Post by maxerickson »

sliverstorm wrote: post #24
organsnyder wrote: post #18

Living in a state (Michigan) without any sort of vehicle inspections, I can usually spot a vehicle that will be especially bad well before I smell it. If I'm driving, I'll punch the recirculate button to head off the issue, and look at making lane changes (or even varying my route) to avoid vehicles. This doesn't work as well if I'm walking or biking, however. I have asthma, so I'm especially sensitive to this. I'd l…

Why would mandatory smog checks never be politically feasible? They are not just a California-only thing.

I find carbureted vehicles the most bothersome (the exhaust stinks of fuel at city speeds), so I guess enforcing emissions standards wouldn't solve the problem (because of grandfathering/exceptions).

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#47

Post by janvidar »

These days "air pollution" means a lot of different things. This article is talking about air quality and particles, such as soot.

This impacts mostly the local air quality and environment, whereas CO2 is a global problem and impacts the climate in ways not necessarily detectable in the local environment.

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#48

Post by [deleted] »

moey wrote: post #38
sliverstorm wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would mandatory smog checks never be politically feasible? They are not just a California-only thing.

Because the Big Three car makers and the National Association of Manufacturers run this state. They said it will "increase costs" and "cost tons of jobs" if a smog law was passed, since they will have to spend more to pass the tests.

[deleted]

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#49

Post by pjc50 »

SCAQTony wrote: post #15

And 16-container ships create as much pollution as all the cars in the world. Perhaps these ships are softer targets to correct than tens of millions of cars? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229857/How-1...

Ships are not usually found in the middle of cities.

Re: 25% of Cars Cause 90% of Automobile Air Pollution

#50

Post by teach »

atom-morgan wrote: post #25
jchrisa wrote: post #17

This is why we should move from mandatory emissions checks on all vehicles, to spot checks of the worst vehicles (but we'd need to get the police excited to run a test.)

You'd have to get everyone excited to allow those tests to be run. If you're spot checking the worst vehicles that will more than likely lead to a large proportion of checks occurring in low-income areas.

I don't see why you couldn't do a red-light camera sort-of thing. Spot emissions testers at ground level along with a photo of the offending license plate.
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