Catalytic Converters and the EPA.

Mustangbelle306 · 04-08-2002, 11:34 PM

Here is an interesting paper I composed for my Environmental class. The assignment was to write an editorial for a newspaper, so please excuse the colloquial writing, it was supposed to appeal to even the stupidest citizens that can manage to hold a paper

Enjoy!

This Cat’s a Bit “Hot” Under the Collar

What type of cat causes pollution when cold, attempts to work when hot, and is hazardous to your health? If you own an automobile, you most likely have one in your exhaust system. A catalytic converter (commonly referred to as a “cat”) is a pollution-control device that has been required on most vehicles in the USA since the mid 1980s. Housed within a protective metal structure, the interior honeycomb design is coated with platinum and rhodium. These catalysts speed up the oxidation reactions to convert harmful exhaust gases (carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons) into less toxic substances (water and carbon dioxide gas).

Once touted as the savior of the gasoline engine, the cat has proven much less effective than once expected. Scientific studies have proven that cats emit toxic substances that cause fatal respiratory diseases in humans, including lung cancer. Some of these gases include cyanide and cyanic acid, hydrogen-sulfur, and phosgen (which was utilized in World War I as a combat gas). These substances are NOT produced by the engine, but rather by the cats themselves. Another suspected side effect is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). As cases began emerging in America in the late 1980s (following the introduction of cats), it is very likely that chemical reactions occurring in the cat account for the massive onset of CFS. Similar trends have also been documented in Japan, Australia, and some parts of Europe after introduction of cat-equipped vehicles.

In addition to health related side effects, cats also pose a threat to the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cats have been identified as a large contributor to global warming. The cats can rearrange the nitrogen-oxygen compounds to form nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas). The EPA published a study estimating that nitrous oxide now comprises about 7.2 percent of the gases that cause global warming. Cars and trucks fitted with cats produce nearly half of that amount. The EPA calculated that production of nitrous oxide from vehicles rose by nearly 50 percent between 1990 and 1996 (older, non-cat cars were for the most part obsolete).

Although the automotive industry has come a long way in producing more environmentally sound products, much improvement is still required in order to secure a better future. Now that we know the problem, what do we do about it? As a citizen you should be concerned about your environment, and as a consumer (emissions equipment accounts for 2% of a car’s MSRP) you should insist on an effective product for your money. Essentially, the catalytic converter was an attempt to trade one evil for a lesser-known evil (smog for health issues and global warming). As we learn more about the effects of our technological advances, we must continue to improve our preventative techniques, and the public must be part of that forward movement.

I was thinking about sending that in to MMFF mail or something...think its worth it?

04-08-2002, 11:34 PM	#1
Mustangbelle306 Yay for Chickys Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,532	Catalytic Converters and the EPA. Here is an interesting paper I composed for my Environmental class. The assignment was to write an editorial for a newspaper, so please excuse the colloquial writing, it was supposed to appeal to even the stupidest citizens that can manage to hold a paper Enjoy! This Cat’s a Bit “Hot” Under the Collar What type of cat causes pollution when cold, attempts to work when hot, and is hazardous to your health? If you own an automobile, you most likely have one in your exhaust system. A catalytic converter (commonly referred to as a “cat”) is a pollution-control device that has been required on most vehicles in the USA since the mid 1980s. Housed within a protective metal structure, the interior honeycomb design is coated with platinum and rhodium. These catalysts speed up the oxidation reactions to convert harmful exhaust gases (carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons) into less toxic substances (water and carbon dioxide gas). Once touted as the savior of the gasoline engine, the cat has proven much less effective than once expected. Scientific studies have proven that cats emit toxic substances that cause fatal respiratory diseases in humans, including lung cancer. Some of these gases include cyanide and cyanic acid, hydrogen-sulfur, and phosgen (which was utilized in World War I as a combat gas). These substances are NOT produced by the engine, but rather by the cats themselves. Another suspected side effect is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). As cases began emerging in America in the late 1980s (following the introduction of cats), it is very likely that chemical reactions occurring in the cat account for the massive onset of CFS. Similar trends have also been documented in Japan, Australia, and some parts of Europe after introduction of cat-equipped vehicles. In addition to health related side effects, cats also pose a threat to the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cats have been identified as a large contributor to global warming. The cats can rearrange the nitrogen-oxygen compounds to form nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas). The EPA published a study estimating that nitrous oxide now comprises about 7.2 percent of the gases that cause global warming. Cars and trucks fitted with cats produce nearly half of that amount. The EPA calculated that production of nitrous oxide from vehicles rose by nearly 50 percent between 1990 and 1996 (older, non-cat cars were for the most part obsolete). Although the automotive industry has come a long way in producing more environmentally sound products, much improvement is still required in order to secure a better future. Now that we know the problem, what do we do about it? As a citizen you should be concerned about your environment, and as a consumer (emissions equipment accounts for 2% of a car’s MSRP) you should insist on an effective product for your money. Essentially, the catalytic converter was an attempt to trade one evil for a lesser-known evil (smog for health issues and global warming). As we learn more about the effects of our technological advances, we must continue to improve our preventative techniques, and the public must be part of that forward movement. I was thinking about sending that in to MMFF mail or something...think its worth it?