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Independently owned & published by I read the recent article in the Northwest Observer about the increasing theft of catalytic converters from vehicles. It mentioned a Greensboro mechanic had

installed a used catalytic

converter on a car. Is install-

ing a used converter legal?

We checked online and found a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publication that addresses replacing catalytic converters. In particular, it explained regulations for using converters from salvage yards or junked cars.

“EPA considers it a violation of the policy to install a used converter from a salvage yard or sell it for reuse unless it has been properly tested and labeled,” according to the September 2000 publication. “Similarly, it is a violation to install an untested used converter brought in by a customer, even if the customer insists the used converter came off his/her vehicle.”

The agency goes on to say that salvage or junk yards “would be considered liable for causing tampering” if they sell converters that haven’t been tested or don’t meet federal requirements.

The Clean Air Act regulates the installation, maintenance and performance of catalytic converters, described by the EPA as “the most important pollution control device on a vehicle.”

The agency explained manufacturers have installed converters on most passenger and light-duty trucks produced since 1975 to reduce exhaust emissions and put vehicles in compliance with federal standards. As a result, the replacement of converters is regulated by federal laws.

Installing a non-complying converter is considered a violation of the Clean Air

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Adobe Stock photo The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers it a violation to install a used catalytic converter from a salvage yard or sell it for reuse unless it has been properly tested and labeled, according to an EPA publication’s September 2000 issue that addresses the topic of replacing catalytic converters.

Act, resulting in a civil penalty of up to $25,000 for each improper installation, the EPA said.

If you’re interested in more information, search online for the EPA document titled “What You Should Know about Using, Installing, or Buying Aftermarket Catalytic Converters.”

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OR WATER SYSTEM Q&A ...continued from p. 3

Your proposal in 2019 led to last month’s hiring of Envirolink to operate a water system for the town, starting with new subdivisions with at least 30 lots. What happens next?

“I look at this as something that we’re beginning very modestly now. The impact probably won’t be felt for another 20 or 30 years. I think it will take that long,” Sullivan cautioned.

“There is still work to be done. We have to present our application to the state to get their licensing approval. We’re also looking into purchasing community wells in four subdivisions that we could use as the foundation of our system. The owner has indicated an interest in selling. We are certainly interested in purchasing them. It then becomes a matter of, are they willing to sell for a price that we’re willing to pay?”

What should homeowners expect when the Envirolink contract goes into force?

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“If they live in new subdivisions that fall under this SCOTT’S TRACTOR & EQUIPMENT agreement, the only thing they would see, if you will, would be a water bill that would come from the 2019 Freeway Dr. town rather than a private utility Reidsville, North Carolina company,” Sullivan explained. (336) 349-2981 “One of the underlying premises that we’ve always had was that we www.ScottsTractorandEquipment.com would not require a homeowner who is on an individual well to have to hook up to a municipal water supply. If we at some point did have a centralized distribution system and a water line ran past a homeowner’s house that had an individual well, that individual would certainly have the option to hook up, but they would not be required to do so.”