Volkswagen toxins produced by diesel cars fitted with dodgy ‘defeat devices’ ‘will cause 1,200 premature deaths’
US scientists estimate that more than a thousand people will die up to a decade early as a result of excess emissions
TOXINS produced by diesel cars fitted with “defeat devices” will cause 1,200 premature deaths, a study claims.
Scientists estimate that number of people will die up to a decade early as a result of excess emissions generated by the 2.6million motors sold in Germany.
That will rise once cars sold elsewhere in Europe, including 1.2million in the UK, are added.
Volkswagen Group fitted the software in 11million VWs, Audis, Skodas and Seats sold worldwide from 2008 to 2015.
They made the cars appear to comply with environmental standards.
But they emitted high levels of pollutants. And the toxins travel in wind, extending their reach.
The researchers previously estimated 60 people will die early in the US as a result of excess emissions from the 482,000 affected vehicles sold there.
Associate Professor Steven Barrett, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, examined affected cars sold under the brands VW, Audi, Skoda, and Seat.
He said: “It takes time for nitric oxides to get converted into particulates, at which point, they could be 100 to 200 kilometres or further away from their source.
“Air pollution is very much transboundary. It doesn’t care about political boundaries – it just goes straight past.
“Thus, a car in Germany can easily have significant impacts in neighbouring countries.”
Nitric oxides are emitted from the engine as a gas, which can be carried by winds over long distances before or while reacting with ammonia in the air to form fine particulates.
Exposure to these fine particulates has been shown to cause heart, lung and respiratory diseases.
Nitric oxide emissions also contribute to the formation of ozone, another pollutant known to be detrimental to human health.
The effect is felt greater in Europe than the United States because of differences in atmospheric conditions.
People in Europe also drive more miles and typically live in more densely populated areas.
Professor Barrett plans to extend his study to other vehicles and countries.
He added: “It seems unlikely that Volkswagen is the only company with issues with excess emissions.
“We don’t know if other manufacturers have these defeat devices, but there is already evidence that many other vehicles in practice emit more than the applicable test-stand limit value.
“So we’re trying to do this for all diesel vehicles.”
Volkswagen has written to owners whose car are affected and is working to fix them free of charge.
If the company can recall and adapt affected vehicles to meet EU standards by the end of the year, 2,600 premature deaths, or 29,000 life years lost, could be averted.
This would also save £3.53billion in corresponding health costs, which would otherwise be expected in the absence of a recall.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.