Volkswagen Pollution Scandal: Recommendations for Penalties and Public Health Benefits

Strategic Insights -

The Volkswagen pollution scandal, which emerged in October 2015, involves the company's alleged use of defeat devices in its clean diesel vehicles, leading to the emission of higher than allowed levels of pollution. The Center for American Progress has issued a new column recommending that potential penalties from the scandal be directed to the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program, which has contributed to cleaning up tens of thousands of dirty diesel engines and generated billions of dollars in health benefits.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Volkswagen pollution scandal involves the company's alleged use of defeat devices in its clean diesel vehicles, which were marketed as meeting emissions standards but actually emitted higher levels of pollution.
  • The EPA alleges that Volkswagen marketed over 480,000 vehicles in the United States as using clean diesel, while they were installed with defeat devices.
  • The EPA found that Volkswagen and Audi vehicles equipped with defeat devices emit nitrogen oxides 10 times to 40 times higher than the EPA-compliant levels.
  • The scandal is estimated to have caused between 16 to 94 deaths due to pollution released from the vehicles.
  • The Center for American Progress recommends directing billions of dollars in penalty funds to the EPA's diesel emissions reduction program, such as DERA, to boost local economies and reduce pollution.
  • The program has contributed to cleaning up tens of thousands of dirty diesel engines and has generated billions of dollars in health benefits.
  • Volkswagen has announced that it will recall 8.5 million cars in Europe, but has not yet announced a plan in the United States to buy back the defective cars or to fix them so that they meet emissions standards on the road.

Statistics:

  • 480,000: Number of vehicles marketed by Volkswagen in the United States as using clean diesel while they were installed with defeat devices.
  • 10-40 times: Factor by which Volkswagen and Audi vehicles emitting nitrogen oxides exceed EPA-compliant levels.
  • 16-94: Estimated number of deaths caused by pollution released from Volkswagen and Audi vehicles.
  • $Billions: Estimated health benefits generated by the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program.

Sources:

  • The Center for American Progress: "Protecting Public Health in the Fallout of the Volkswagen Pollution Scandal" by Greg Dotson and Alison Cassady
  • The Associated Press: Analysis of pollution released from Volkswagen and Audi vehicles
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Allegations regarding Volkswagen's use of defeat devices in clean diesel vehicles.