What emissions testers can learn from the Volkswagen scandal

For more than 40 years, Australia has exercised stringent emissions regulations for heavy-duty and light vehicles.

Those using diesel-powered machines can rely on instruments such as the testo 340 diesel kit to ensure their vehicles are not harming the environment or the public.

Volkswagen fails US emissions standards

Now, Australian companies using select Volkwagen automobiles may have to decommission them, in light of the auto manufacturer’s recent transgression.

On August 18, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of violation (NOV) of the nation’s Clean Air Act (CAA) to Volkswagen. The NOV stated that Audi and Volkswagen four-cylinder diesel models from 2009 to 2015 possess software that bypass the country’s emissions standards.

According to the NOV, Volkswagen equipped certain vehicles with an algorithm that notices when authorities are testing a car’s pollution control settings. Whenever this occurs, the application activates the vehicle’s emissions management technology. Once the test is complete, the emissions control system shuts off.

Essentially, Volkwagen’s software dupes air quality tests. Once the vehicles are out on the road, they emit harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides (NOx). In fact the amount of NOx these automobiles produce is 40 times greater than the standard dictated in the CAA.

Cyntia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, condemned Volkswagen’s actions.

“Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health,” Ms Giles said.

Why is NOx so dangerous? 

There’s a reason why mining companies and other organisations competing in the industrial sector use emissions analysers to detect NOx. The EPA noted NOx are powerful oxidising agents that develop corrosive nitric acid and toxic organic nitrates.

These properties make NOx serious public safety hazards. For instance, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) aggravates the lungs, making it difficult for the body to fight off respiratory infections. Continuous exposure to NO2 has also been linked to acute respiratory illnesses among kids.

It’s no surprise that the environment is not exempt from the harmful impact of NOx. The gases expedite ozone development, which can have a negative impact on various ecosystems. Acid rain and eutrophication (when algae thrives from an over-abundance of nutrients) are common occurrences when excessive amounts of NOx are present in the atmosphere.

Australian businesses obliged to abide by the nation’s emissions laws should make a point to ensure their diesel-powered vehicles are not emitting harmful gases. Emissions analysers can help them identify NOx levels to ensure equipment is operating efficiently and appropriately.