Lobby group calls for stricter DPF checks during MOT

Improved DPF testing would reduce thousands tonnes of particulate matter, claims Westminster Commission for Road Air Quality

Lobby group calls for stricter DPF checks during MOT
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An all-party parliamentary group on air pollution is calling for stricter legislation around DPF testing during MOTs to reduce particulate matter emissions.

The Westminster Commission for Road Air Quality (WCRAQ) estimates the measure could save the UK around 1000 tonnes of particulate matter PM2.5 per year.

A recent DEFRA report on the emission of air pollutants in the UK found that ‘particulate matter ‘may enter the bloodstream and be transported around the body, lodging in the heart, brain and other organs.’

The fine particulates are known to damage human health by causing asthma, COPD, and cardiovascular disease.

Dr James Tate, associate professor at the University of Leeds and WCRAQ Chair of Research, said: “We fear a significant amount of the very fine particles from diesel combustion are now coming from damaged or tampered DPFs.

“They simply shouldn’t be in the air we all breathe.

Opinion: DPF and catalytic converter faults are set to soar

“The testing equipment technology to ensure failing DPFs is available for a reasonable cost.

“The UK should make it an absolute priority to tighten diesel MOT testing in the shortest possible time.”

It’s thought around ten per cent of diesel cars have damaged/faulty, tampered with, or unlawfully removed DPF filters.

It is an offence, under the Road Vehicles Regulations, to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet.

Potential penalties are £1,000 for a car and £2,500 for a van.

The DfT told GW: “The legislation makes the owner or user of the vehicle primarily responsible for its condition.

“Whether the person who had removed the DPF, or had offered to remove it, had also committed an offence would be a matter for the courts to decide.”

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield and chair of WCRAQ, said: “As a Commission, we are committed to identifying and following best practice in achieving improved air quality – drawing expertise from home and abroad.

“Governments across Europe, such as that in the Netherlands, are making real progress in reducing the levels of fine and ultra-fine particles produced by roadside air pollution through improvements to MOT testing.

“More rigorous assessments of vehicles’ emissions levels would mitigate the harmful health impacts of high roadside air pollution and in turn, save lives.”

Watch: Why engine and DPF cleaning is now an essential for independent garages

New MOT regulations for DPF testing are set to come into force from July 2022 in the Netherland’s.

The Dutch introduction of particle number (PN) limit on diesel vehicle emissions tests the filter’s efficacy by a pipe test at idle using a PN measuring instrument based on limits to show in-use compliance.

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Home Page Forums Lobby group calls for stricter DPF checks during MOT

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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  • #212171 Reply

    An all-party parliamentary group on air pollution is calling for stricter legislation around DPF testing during MOTs to reduce particulate matter emis
    [See the full post at: Lobby group calls for stricter DPF checks during MOT]

    #212178 Reply
    michael cleary
    Guest

    If they got rid off bike lanes road humps and got traffic moving quicker instead off slowing it down we would have less polution

    #212179 Reply
    keith
    Guest

    Maybe they should be looking into PM from petrol direct injection vehicles as well, as it seems these need a GPF to collect the real small pm’s they are producing. Maybe they should be asking if catalytic converters on petrol vehicles really work in real life traffic driving, ie not steady cruise conditions.
    Plus a study into other PM producing problems and causes.
    Question. Why do they allow people to modify vehicles in the aftermarket if we are concerned with emissions, changing software and exhaust systems.
    Question 2 If aftermarket catalytic converters / DPF units work being approx half the size and quarter of the weight, why don’t the vehicle manufacturers buy and use them as they are always looking to save weight and cost?

    #212181 Reply
    Meat-Head
    Guest

    Utter fuds, how can dumping neat fuel down an exhaust pipe be good for the environment

    If your that bothered legislation to make them easy to clean at home!

    As for EGR on a diesel another fud’s idea

    #212185 Reply
    Keith
    Guest

    Could try hanging a tin on the tailpipe to catch all this neat fuel, as it must be running out the pipe.
    The PMs we can see (black smoke) are not the real problem, its the very small ones that can cause harm, direct injection petrol vehicles produce these, dont they?

    #212193 Reply
    Ian Whitmore
    Guest

    About time! the number of owners groups i see, is staggering where the vast majority of people state just remove it (DPF Delete)
    If there is a problem, Unfortunately they dont realise that the DPF does not go wrong, They is always a cause from something else being faulty having a knock on effect.

    #212349 Reply
    jodi bremner
    Guest

    The problem is, these systems don’t work. They maybe OK for 10000 miles or so but once a strictly engineered system is faced with a few years and miles of wear and tear, carbonating and blocking, they cease to operate as designed and it becomes a spiral of wear causing inefficiency, causing further wear. We all know its the emissions control systems and their strict operation that cause so many problems on modern cars, really at 100.000miles a new DPF to, especially an aftermarket one, to last would probably require new injectors,HP pump, a set of rings and a full de-carbon along side it.
    There is a reason an ultra reliable moon buggy or F1 car cost £100M and a run of the mill PSA engined family diesel costs £15k, they’re not designed or built to last.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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