COBB Tuning, a leading manufacturer of aftermarket performance products for vehicles, has been slammed with a nearly $3 million fine from the EPA for selling thousands of illegal devices that caused extreme air pollution.
What's happening?
The Los Angeles Times reported that, since 2015, the Austin, Texas-based company has sold 90,000 car exhaust cheat devices — also known as "defeat devices" — that skirted air pollution regulations, per the EPA.
These devices are popular because they boost a vehicle's performance and disable emissions control systems to improve fuel economy. According to the LA Times, COBB Tuning manufactured and sold vehicle tuning accessories and software that altered engine combustion at some of its retail stores.
The prohibited car exhaust gadgets caused dangerous concentrations of smog-forming pollution and other types of pollution well above the EPA's standards. Along with issuing the fine, the EPA ordered COBB to notify customers about the illegal devices and to destroy any remaining products.
However, COBB Tuning executives maintain that the products weren't marketed as emissions defeat devices, per a statement cited by the Times. In addition, they stated the company has received over 200 emissions certifications from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), demonstrating that all its products — including those under investigation — adhere to regulations and the Clean Air Act.
"We had to make difficult choices along the way regarding how and when to make changes to or discontinue certain products that the EPA identified as concerning," Jeff King, COBB president and CEO, said in its statement.
"We always focused our decision-making process on implementing changes in a way that had the best interests of our enthusiast customers, distribution partners, and the environment in mind. Sometimes those were tough choices, which required immediate action in order to address EPA concerns."
Why is this important?
Since defeat device software deactivates a car's emissions controls, the vehicle will produce much more pollution than normal and can even cause it to spew black smoke. Not only is this a nuisance for other drivers, but it's also a danger to public health.
Car exhaust contains harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and other chemicals that are thought to contribute to asthma, other lung diseases, and cardiovascular issues, as the CARB has detailed.
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"Defeat devices significantly increase air pollution from motor vehicles, particularly in communities that already are overburdened by pollution," David M. Uhlmann, assistant administrator for the EPA's compliance office, told the LA Times.
In addition, these illegal devices contribute to global heating — especially in busy cities where the urban heat island effect is more pronounced — as the world races against the clock to beat our changing climate.
What's being done about defeat devices?
"Use of illegal defeat devices has gone on for far too long. EPA will use all of its enforcement tools to hold polluters like COBB Tuning accountable until these illegal practices stop," Uhlmann told the LA Times.
The newspaper stated that the EPA and other regulators have gone after several large companies in the past 10 years for selling car exhaust cheat devices. For example, Volkswagen was slapped with a $2.8 billion criminal penalty in 2015 for selling close to 500,000 cars in the U.S. outfitted with emissions-cheating software.
Switching to a more eco-friendly electric vehicle (which doesn't release tailpipe pollution) or taking public transportation when possible are easy solutions to help reduce pollution and save money on gas. However, if you buy a gas-powered or hybrid car, it might be a good idea to have it tested first for hidden defeat devices, just in case.
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