[quote=dhtmbowen;68447]I don't know where to start:
Catalytic converters are made from cadmium; one of the most toxic elements on the planet.
Manufacturing cats is massively damaging to the environment.
Recycling cats is a nightmare we are storing up for ourselves - you can't bury them they'll poison the water table - you can't melt them to recover the cadmium because it sublimes and enters the atmosphere - they have to be heated in a controlled environment with all sorts of nastiness - it just goes on and on.
The Cat is already manufactured so no more damage to the environment can occur in that regard. If what you say is true, let's start a campaign to stop the manufacture of Cats.
By far the biggest effect on asthma sufferers from vehicles is soot from diesel engines - has anyone noticed the clouds of black smoke out of diesels and wondered why no -one does anything about it?
Diesel soot is a massive causer of smog and ingested particulate - mostly into the lungs which causes asthma, lung cancer, etc.
N.B. the number of lung cancer patients in the uk continues to rise although the number of smokers and those affected by passive smoking continues to fall.
I agree with all the above. It doesn't impact on your removal of the Cat though. That's like saying "I can break the law because other people do"!
Next: you would be amazed to learn how small a proportion of our UK pollution is down to internal combustion engines of any type - its currently < 5% most of the rest being power stations.
"Any reduction is welcome and important. Percentages are meaningless. What matters is what steps you and I take, not what others are doing.
A well set up bike engine produces very little in the way of unburnt hydro - carbons but those it does produce - once the engine is hot pass through the cat anyway.
They can't pass through your cat because it wson't be there!
Bottom line: you should say 'thank you' for saving my cat instead of destroying it over the next 30,000 miles and another 'thank you' for not driving a diesel car in central London
