-
A catalytic converter is a device located in the engine of a car that cleans gases as they pass through the vehicle's exhaust system. Catalytic converters are responsible for reducing carbon emissions.
Function
Catalytic converters contain metal catalysts that spark chemical reactions that turn pollutants into harmless gases.
Benefits
EPA data shows that cars sold with current catalytic converter technology produce 96 percent less carbon monoxide, 98 percent less hydrocarbons and 90 percent less nitrogen than cars sold in the early 1970s.
Theories
According to CatalyticConverter.org, over the last 11 years catalytic converters have eliminated pollutants that, if unchecked, would have covered the country with a toxic blanket 500 feet deep.
Considerations
Catalytic converters are not a cure to an automobile's environmental problems. They can only work with unleaded fuel and are merely a subsystem in your car's engine.
Fun Fact
According to CatalyticConverter.org, 85 percent of automotive pollutants in the U.S. come from the oldest 50 percent of cars on the road.
Source:
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC