Diesel scandal: Manipulated trucks pollute the air

Only a few days after the decision of the European Court of Justice to declare defeat devices with thermal windows illegal, exhaust manipulation is once again at the centre of the debate. It is now about trucks that remain under the radar when so-called emulators are used - and cause thick air on German roads without penalty. Logistics companies can switch off the exhaust gas purification system on their trucks and save up to 2,000 euros a year on AdBlue. 

The urea solution is currently the only solution for diesel engines with SCR catalytic converters to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Vehicles that do not have it are illegal in the European Union. Without it, such diesel vehicles would not even start. Unless an exhaust gas manipulation device - either as a small black box in the engine compartment or as a software update for the on-board electronics - was used. In this case, the emulators can prevent the injection of AdBlue and at the same time fool the engine electronics into believing that everything is working properly. A considerable saving of money for truck drivers and haulage fleets - both in terms of refuelling for the solution and in terms of the maintenance and replacement of cleaning equipment that this would entail. Especially against the background of the energy crisis and the impact this is having on the production and cost of AdBlue, it is easy for many haulage companies to make this decision at the expense of the environment. This is a problem that the authorities are aware of.  

However, the checks carried out by the Federal Office for Goods Transport (FAG) are far from adequate. Of the 7070 trucks inspected, 292 were found to have violated the exhaust gas purification system. This corresponds to a percentage of 4.1%. Consequently, the BAG's figures are considered too unrealistically low in the eyes of environmental physicist Denis Pöhler. Andreas Mossyrsch of the transport association Camion Pro also criticises that the current checks are as little as wrong. Opinions that are equally reinforced by the findings of the German Environmental Aid (DUH). In its own measurements, the DUH found that "only 46 per cent of the vehicles in pollutant class VI comply with the pollutant limit value applicable to them". According to the environmental organisation, it is necessary to carry out more and better controls in order to better assess the situation and to plan effective countermeasures. The penalties for violations should also be increased in order to curb the spread of illegal emulators. After all, fines of around 100 euros are hardly an efficient defence against four-digit savings.  

If a new inspection system is not implemented successfully enough to get the illegal devices off the streets, the authorities have to find another solution. If inspections are poor, should stricter rules on entry into the low emission zone perhaps be introduced? While this would not provide certainty as to whether or not illegal tampering is taking place, it would reduce the risk - by reducing the number of higher emission trucks on the road. Ultimately, it is important that the air and environment remain protected from traffic-related pollution, especially in low emission zones. Otherwise, their efficiency and role as environmental protectors will be put at risk - with significant consequences for the climate and public health.