Happy 30th Catalytic Converter

October 3, 2004 – Vol.9 No.28

HAPPY 30th CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

If you can believe it this month marks the 30th birthday of the catalytic converter. It was first installed in U.S. cars beginning in model year 1975.

The catalytic converter was the first dramatic improvement in vehicle emission control systems. Since 1975 more than 12 billion tons of toxic gases have been rendered harmless worldwide by those converters.

The catalytic converter, put in place as a regulation, has boosted an industry too. In 2003, according to the International Platinum Association, purchases of platinum metals by the autocatalyst sector increased 23 percent from the previous year to 3.19 million ounces of platinum along with 3.46 million ounces of palladium, and 665,000 ounces of rhodium.

Because of the high value of these metals catalytic converters are usually recycled. Up to 96 percent of the metal in each converter is recoverable. Each converter has about 4-5 grams of the metals.

As the number of vehicles in the world explodes so does the number of catalytic converters. The devices are used globally. Visit the IPA at http://www.platinuminfo.net/