The government published a document on 7th June entitled ‘Catalytic converters: advice on type approval and legal requirements for suppliers and manufacturers’. It states how CATs ‘are the most important parts of a car’s emission control system.’ Which allows vehicles fitted with them to ‘meet European emission standards, improving air quality and reducing impacts on health.’
The document points out how CATs must ‘pass strict emissions testing procedures as part of the type approval process’ before being sold in Europe. Similar tests are undertaken with replacement CATs including meeting relevant durability, noise and vehicle performance requirements.
The document states that ‘Manufacturers, and suppliers and distributors of replacement catalytic converters have a legal duty to ensure the products they design, manufacture and sell comply with the applicable laws, including approval requirements governing the fitting to certain vehicles.’
The 2009 Regulations set out relating to the approval requirements for replacement CATs can be found here https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/1899/contents/made
Vehicle safety and environmental standards are paramount and the Department for Transport’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) will continue to be vigilant to ensure ‘vehicles and components available on the UK market comply with the legislative requirements.’ They state that, ‘Manufacturers, suppliers and distributors who are found to have breached these requirements should expect to be the subject of enforcement action.’
‘Breaching the requirements of the 2009 Regulations can amount to a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £5,000.
It is also an offence under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Regulation 61a(3)) 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. The potential penalties for failing to comply with Regulation 61a are fines of up to £1,000 for a car or £2,500 for a light goods vehicle.’
They welcome information or concern from the relevant industries or members of the public by emailing them at marketsurveillance@dvsa.gov.uk
