Nothing Done To Stop Old Car Pollution

Older cars are responsible for spewing about two thirds of the pollution that comes from automobiles, yet in several states with anti-pollution laws, these are the very cars exempt from testing and upgrades. For many people, an emissions test has become a standard part of the yearly car inspection. If the tailpipe discharge is out of compliance, mechanics can make upgrades, change filters or take other corrective action. But in a growing number of states, the cars responsible for polluting most -- those made before 1996 -- are exempt from the tests. The thought is that older cars will take their pollution with them to the junkyard if given enough time. As Malcolm Gladwell pointed out in a New Yorker piece not too long ago, the faster road to cleaner air is to aggressively target the worst polluters -- in other words, those few older cars that account for the majority of emissions, rather than the many newer and largely clean cars, according to a story in the June 18 USA Today. Related Stories: 9 Cities Mull Rush Hour Driving Fees -- June 14 You Can Rent A Hybrid Now -- June 14 It's Senate v. Automakers On MPG -- June 12 Senate Takes Up Energy Efficiency Debate -- June 11 It's Democrat v. Democrat On Climate Policy -- June 8 Stingy Dad's Great Green Car Guide -- June 8 Small, Efficient -- And Safe Too? -- June 7