Most people do not think about what they are breathing in every day they’re outside. Chances are you did not realize you are breathing in carbon monoxide, a clear gas that blocks oxygen to the brain and can kill a human. With over 1 billion cars on the road every day, the impacts on breathing are astronomical. Millions of Americans everyday breathe in the toxic gas that is emitted from the tailpipes of cars, planes, trucks, buses etc. And slowly it is taking its toll, causing diseases, sicknesses, even cancer. Along with harming human health, air pollution can cause a variety of environmental effects, one example being acid rain (“Air pollutants smog and acid rain 1”). Acid rain is precipitation containing harmful amounts of nitric and sulfuric
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Some issues regarding emissions include the Volkswagen Scandal which involved the German company activating emission controls to meet laboratory test standards with nitrogen oxides, but in real driving emit up to 40x more; test manipulation is a growing problem in the world today (EPUK 1). As a result of test manipulation, millions of vehicles on the roads in the US and all over the world are operating without properly certified on-road emission controls. VW was given the challenge to devise a solution that achieves the NOx standard correctly and minimizes CO2 emissions and clearly show that it works in order to restore trust in the vehicle industry and in government oversight (VW Scandal 1). The Federal and State governments have implemented tests for emissions, if a car is not properly tuned, it can cause more pollutions due to incomplete combustion (“How much comes from cars?” 1). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, various federal, state and local governments in the United States conducted studies into the numerous sources of air pollution. These studies ultimately attributed a significant portion of air pollution to the automobile, and concluded air pollution is not bounded by local political boundaries ("How Much Air Pollution Comes from Cars?" 1). At that time, such minimal emission control regulations existed in the U.S. were declared at the town, city, or occasionally, the state level (EPUK 2). The ineffective local regulations were gradually replaced by more comprehensive state and federal regulations. In 1967 California created the California Air Resources Board. Shortly after in 1970, the federal United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established (EPA history 1). Both agencies, as well as other state agencies, now create and enforce emission regulations for automobiles in the United States. Similar agencies and
Some issues regarding emissions include the Volkswagen Scandal which involved the German company activating emission controls to meet laboratory test standards with nitrogen oxides, but in real driving emit up to 40x more; test manipulation is a growing problem in the world today (EPUK 1). As a result of test manipulation, millions of vehicles on the roads in the US and all over the world are operating without properly certified on-road emission controls. VW was given the challenge to devise a solution that achieves the NOx standard correctly and minimizes CO2 emissions and clearly show that it works in order to restore trust in the vehicle industry and in government oversight (VW Scandal 1). The Federal and State governments have implemented tests for emissions, if a car is not properly tuned, it can cause more pollutions due to incomplete combustion (“How much comes from cars?” 1). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, various federal, state and local governments in the United States conducted studies into the numerous sources of air pollution. These studies ultimately attributed a significant portion of air pollution to the automobile, and concluded air pollution is not bounded by local political boundaries ("How Much Air Pollution Comes from Cars?" 1). At that time, such minimal emission control regulations existed in the U.S. were declared at the town, city, or occasionally, the state level (EPUK 2). The ineffective local regulations were gradually replaced by more comprehensive state and federal regulations. In 1967 California created the California Air Resources Board. Shortly after in 1970, the federal United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established (EPA history 1). Both agencies, as well as other state agencies, now create and enforce emission regulations for automobiles in the United States. Similar agencies and