anti-pollution when did it start

There are a number of comments in this thread that confuse a number of different environmental regulations.

First off all smog laws that began in the mid to late sixties were concerned only with the three major components of smog. These were hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. These three components made up a lions share of smog in most urban areas.

While the early restrictions were simple and over time became more and more complex. For a long time they severely restricted the performance potential of engines, they did have the effect of dramatically cleaner air. For example, when I was a kid growing up in the L.A. area we often couldn't go outside for recess because of "smog alerts." Essentially the air was so polluted that if you exercised and took a deep breath your lungs would physically hurt. Today, the air in the Los Angeles basin, is cleaner than it has been since the end of WWII. Most of the time when I was a kid you couldn't even see the mountains, after it rained and the air was temporarily clean we'd comment, "Look the mountains are out." Yet the number of cars and miles driven has increased radically.

Second, cars were dealt a double whammy in the 1970s. First the smog laws then the fact that the oil companies took nearly ten points of octane out of the fuel in the early 70s. This lead to about a 2 point reduction in compression ratio. This reduction in octane took 20 Horsepower right off the top of any performance engine.

Finally, auto companies began to rate engines with net horsepower instead of gross horsepower. This meant that motors appeared to put out about 40 HP less as they now were tested while spinning the accessories like the alternator, waterpump and power steering pump.

These factors all lead to a nadir in automotive development where the 1980 Corvette only put out 150 HP. Yet, since 1980 engineers have learned how to make HP engines within the constraints of smog laws. The result, today's cars blow away anything built in the 60s.

So smog laws have helped to make the air we breath a lot cleaner. By the way, don't blame Carter for them. The EPA was started under Nixon, and virtually all the regulations for things like auto smog laws were started under Nixon or even earlier.

Don't Panic. Even here in California, the toughest state in the country when it comes to smog laws, cars built before 75 are exempt. My guess is that your Canadian province will do the same.

A note regarding smog laws and green house gases. Currently there are NO restrictions regarding green house gas emissions in either the US or Canada. As a matter of fact the US never ratified the Kyoto protocol and Canada just exited the Kyoto protocol.

The US made clear that the US will not agree to any green house gas emission limits unless limits are also placed upon China and India.

Although CO2 is a primary component of Green House Gas emissions, it is NOT a pollutant in the traditional sense. As a matter of fact virtually all smog control devices are trying to INCREASE CO2. Huh? When an engine completely burns all the fuel the only two things to come out the tail pipe are CO2 and H2O as a result by reducing the CO and NOX, and unburnt hydrocarbons you increase the amount of CO2 and H2O.

Regards,

Joe Dokes