Cars are regulated on the amount of
emissions they are allowed to emit. The 1990 Clean Air Act is a federal law covering the entire country, although
the states do much of the work to carry out the Act. Under this law,
the Environmental Protection Agency sets limits on how much of a
pollutant can be in the air anywhere in the United States. This ensures
that all Americans have the same basic health and environmental
protections. The law allows individual states to have stronger
pollution controls, but not weaker controls than those set for the
whole country.
• Here is some interesting historical information about the
Clean Air Act
• Some Facts
about air pollution in the US as a
result of vehicle emissions.
• Write a Log
• You can begin writing a log by collecting information
about type(s) of vehicle emissions testing in your community, the test
procedures, what can you do if your car just failed an emissions test,
and what the level of air pollution is in your community due to vehicle
emissions. You can create two columns; in one column you can write the
information you collect, and in the other your
questions/interpretations.
• Take a file Trip
• Visit a nearby science center or museum of science.
Request information on educational programs for air pollution. Look for
exhibits that relate to the causes and effects of air pollution due to
vehicle emissions. Note: If there is no such museum nearby, write to
the nearest one and request information on educational programs or
their exhibits that deal with air pollution and its effects.
• Visit a Vehicle Emissions Testing Center in your county.
Request information on the testing procedures for vehicles emissions.
If there is no such center nearby, write to the nearest one and request
information about the center, the testing procedures, what happens when
vehicles fail the emissions test etc.
• For High School students in DuPage County: Visit Davea
Career Center, talk to the students and the teachers of the Automotive
Career Area, and request information on the testing procedures they use
for vehicle emissions. Prepare a list of questions that you want to ask
them.
