Is Your Cat Approved?

On 13th August 2009, Motor Vehicles Regulations came into effect, making it illegal to fit a non type-approved catalytic converter to a vehicle registered on or after 1st March 2001. This means that a "Y" registered or newer vehicle requires a type-approved "cat". The new law also requires that replacement Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) are also type approved. The following information, supplied by the NTDA, outlines the reasons behind the law’s introduction and the importance of compliance.

Catalytic converters have been fitted to petrol cars since 1993 and, like all parts, they eventually wear out and suffer from corrosion, which means that a thriving cat replacement market has arisen. The new law is aimed at improving air quality by ensuring that replacement cats and DPFs meet mandatory emissions targets. This will bring the UK into line with Europe and, according to our own government, is badly needed: The UK is the European leader in terms of road pollution, with 95 per cent of our cities exceeding the EU limits for nitrogen dioxide. This compares with 52 per cent of cities in runner-up polluter Germany, 42 per cent in Italy, 21 per cent in France and 14 per cent for Spain.

Superficially, the outward appearance of type approved and non type-approved cats is very similar. Internally, however, the type-approved cat will have a bigger brick volume and a greater quantity of precious metals. All type-approved systems will also be stamped with a code showing the UN regulation 103.

It is important for cat stockists to note that the August 13 date is an absolute deadline – there is no period of grace in which the sale of non-approved stock is permitted. The regulations will be enforced by the Vehicle Certification Agency and it has indicated it will make strenuous efforts to check that the legislation is adhered to. The VCA’s market surveillance will involve random visits to the premises of manufacturers and distributors, random visits to various points of sale and exhaust fitting centres, attending trade shows, monitoring trade publications and the Internet and following up specific complaints.

Business found supplying or fitting non type-approved cats and “potentially, certain officers or equivalent of the company or business” will be liable to prosecution and face a maximum fine of £5,000. However the VCA adds that, as well as enforcing the regulations, it “is keen to work with the industry to ensure that legal obligations are met” and it invites anyone with any queries to contact it for advice and clarification.

There has been talk of an “education” period until 13th November 2009. Automotive component distributor CES (UK) explains that “in theory this is a period of grace for distributors, retailers and garages when, although the law is in place, it will not be enforced on these groups. However, the law can be enforced on manufacturers and importers. Manufacturers and distributors are fully geared up to cope with the law change and, realistically, there should be no reason why any workshop or depot should fall foul of the law.”

At present exhaust systems, as opposed to cats, are not covered by type-approval legislation. One of the loudest voices arguing for the introduction of such legislation is that of Klarius UK. The company points out that a report by Defra warns the UK is facing large fines for exceeding the EU limit on nitrogen dioxide emissions and Defra believes that the solution lies in the introduction of measures such as national road pricing and subsidies for electric cars. Klarius points to the situation in Germany, which, although it has more cars that the UK, has around half our pollution levels. This, says Klarius, is because type-approval of exhaust systems is mandatory in Germany and “type approval provides evidence for a customer that the exhaust system he is buying has passed a series of rigorous tests and is at least as good as the OE design. As a result, not only is the system more likely to last longer, but it can also help reduce emissions, increase fuel efficiency and reduce noise pollution.”

“All the UK government needs to do is to implement the EU Directive as law in the UK, which it is actually required to do, and the level of pollution will start to come down straight away,” notes Klarius. “The UK fits 200,000 replacement exhausts every month, so they could be made cleaner overnight.”