The negative impact of cars on the environment
All motor machines have a bad impact on the environment, but car transport causes the most damage. Cars emit as much as 30% of pollution. In towns and cities, this proportion can be even higher, due to the huge volume of cars. As well as having a negative impact on the environment, these pollutants can also damage the health of people, especially those living in urban areas. Environmentalists claim that there are 1-15 million different types of pollution emitted by cars.
Poisonous gases
When driving, carbon monoxides, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, among others, come out of the engines. Nitrogen oxides, occurring in excess, can be harmful. In addition, once they are in the soil, they are transformed into compounds called nitrosamines. These, in turn, are highly carcinogenic, and if taken up from the soil by vegetables, can find their way into human food. Nitrogen oxides are also involved in the formation of acid rain, which has devastating effects. Under the influence of chemical transformations of nitrogen compounds with hydrocarbons, smog is formed, which is a great problem in large cities. Hydrocarbons occur primarily during the processing of oil and coal. A huge tragedy is caused when oil is spilled at sea, as happens when oil tankers crash. This results in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of birds, seals and sea otters. Carbon monoxide, or chad, is a deadly poison. It combines with haemoglobin and blocks the transfer of oxygen.
Pollutants produced during the various stages of car production
In addition to the primary pollutants coming out of the exhaust pipes, certain stages of production also have a negative impact on the environment. The increase in the number of cars, results in an increase in:
- the extraction of metal ores,
- the production of plastic rubber parts,
- oil extraction,
- the amount of scrap metal that cannot be recycled and has nowhere to be stored.
Ways to prevent pollution
Nowadays, more and more measures are being taken to reduce harmful exhaust gases. Among other things, the emission limits contained in the EU "Euro 6" law are being introduced. In addition, most cars are equipped with catalytic converters or particulate filters, i.e. filters that clean the exhaust gases. Unleaded petrol is also available, but not every vehicle is designed to burn this type of fuel. Above all, it is a good idea to pay attention and be aware of the pollutants produced. Under no circumstances should you remove the particulate filter or catalytic converter that reduces the exhaust gases even a little. Passenger cars are a great convenience. Nowadays they are very widely available and there are more and more of them. They have a negative impact on the environment, but by following a few simple rules, we can reduce their harmful effects.
