SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced settlements with four automotive parts distributors to resolve claims of violations of the Clean Air Act. The Southern California companies – Domestic Gaskets, Mizumo Auto, PPE Inc., and Performance Parts – illegally manufactured or sold aftermarket auto parts, otherwise known as defeat devices, that exacerbate harmful air pollution by bypassing or disabling required emissions control systems. The companies paid $52,271 combined in penalties.
“These settlements represent our commitment to stopping the sale of illegal defeat devices, which worsen harmful pollution and disproportionately impact communities with environmental justice concerns,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “We will continue to investigate and penalize anyone who manufactures, sells, or installs these types of illegal products.”
Domestic Gaskets, located in El Monte, California, sells and distributes motor vehicle parts to customers throughout the United States. The company was cited for 635 violations and will pay a penalty of $12,415 to settle those claims.
Mizumo Auto, also located in El Monte, sells and distributes motor vehicle parts to customers throughout the United States. The company was cited for 1,609 violations and will pay a penalty of $11,268 to settle those claims.
PPE Inc., located in Montclair, California, manufactures, sells, and distributes aftermarket parts to customers throughout the United States. The company was cited for 121 violations and will pay a penalty of $24,000 to settle those claims.
Performance Parts, located in El Monte, sells and distributes motor vehicle parts to customers throughout the United States. The company was cited for 1,055 violations and will pay a penalty of $4,588 to settle those claims.
It is a violation of the Clean Air Act to manufacture, sell, or install a part for a motor vehicle that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative any emission control device. For example, computer software that alters diesel fuel injection timing is an illegal defeat device. Defeat devices, which are often sold to enhance engine performance, work by disabling a vehicle's emission controls, causing air pollution. As a result of EPA enforcement, some of the largest manufacturers of defeat devices have agreed to pay penalties and stop the sale of defeat devices.
The practice of tampering with vehicles by installing defeat devices can enable large emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious health problems in the United States. These include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Respiratory issues like these disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution.
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