The Environmental Protection Agency says roughly 30 percent of the 502 cars randomly surveyed last year in Weber County had some emission-control tampering.
Of the cars surveyed, 15.2 percent failed the emissions standards for carbon monoxide compared to only 5.6 percent of cars from counties where emissions testing has been in force for several years, said Russ Hansen, Weber County emissions control specialist."That was much higher than we anticipated," he said. "But what was really significant about the tampering is that 44 percent of the tampered Weber County vehicles failed to meet the emission standards compared to only 9 percent of county cars that had not been tampered with."
Fifty-seven percent of the 502 cars tested were from Weber County. Fourteen percent came from Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties where emission testing has been mandated for several years, and 29 percent came from out of state or other areas.
Results of the August 1991 EPA survey released by the state's Division of Air Quality "really point up the difference in the amount of pollution created by cars in counties where emissions testing is mandated," Hansen said.
"Hopefully when the EPA comes back, probably next year, for another survey, we'll do much better," he added.
Weber County, which fought the testing program, finally was forced by the EPA to begin one after three readings of excessive carbon monoxide in the air in 1990. The testing began for the first time Jan. 1 of this year.
Hansen said about 25 percent of the local vehicles so far have failed the initial test.
"But most of these are pre-1984 cars and the average cost to bring about 80 percent of these into compliance has been under $100," he said. "The vast majority just need minor tune-ups and adjustments. Even an oil change can make a difference."