Also, why does this program only exist in Northeast Ohio?

 

I think it's time to eliminate the program.  How about you?

Absolutely NOT.... That, like all the other environmental roll backs to the stone age a certain political influence is pushing...under the insane gullible notion that if we "get off the polluters/corporation's back, they will do right by us", are under severe threat. It would be a step backwards to eliminate this structure of law. N.E. Ohio has among the highest concentrations of air pollution.  If they were doing right, there would have never been the need for the rules implemented in the first place. The abuse of the river was the impetus for a new slew of water laws.

 

Is this program flawless?......no way..... And can it improve, absolutely YES...but do away with it totally.....no way!  Why does it not target vehicles it should? Because of the legislation that is very polluter friendly, and the fact that EPA is  headed by political appointees who are also very polluter friendly and quite often have no education whatsoever in anything environmental. So, the problem is NOT with EPA itself ( I know many who work for EPA. who will attest to this) the problem is with who controls it, and who controls it is decided by a mostly very polluter friendly majority of lawmakers in the state house, which happen to be Republican. I am not trying to get into an "us versus them" thing, but this just happens to be how it is....and that is how it has been for years. 

 

There are so many cars and motorcycles riding around with illegally modified exhausts in such places like Mahoning and Trumbull County, where no e-check exists--and  is why there are so many more vehicles getting away with it.  If this were the case in Cuyahoga, I shudder to think how much worse the air quality would be. The fact that this sort of thing is so much lower in Cuyahoga, relates to e-check standards. If anything, we need stricter air standards, not weaker ones as some of the Tea Part likes who are in bed with polluters, would like you to believe. 

 

Sure there can be exemptions like with brand new vehicles or those not older than a certain year where it is  unlikely there would be any major emission issues, but as I said, the reason the vehicles that should be MORE targeted are not, is largely due to the fact that EPA is not targeting them (large trucks for example) ..and again, not doing so because of who mandates the agenda at Ohio EPA, which I have mentioned above. 

 

The structure of law is there and good. It needs tweaked, has for years, and needs to keep the politics out of what EPA is intended to do. If that cannot be the case, it cannot be very effective in its ideal intent.  Then we would not have people like Mike Trivisonno and Howie Chizic who have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to this, spewing bad information on the airwaves. In theory, the program is good and has done good. It needs to be made better..and such "better" needn't be authored by polluter friendly sources alone.

 

Environmental maintenance is not something we do once and forget about it, no more than you restore an old home once, and expect it to stay that way forever........."clean it up... and we're good to go forever"  so to speak.  Keeping the environment protected and healthy  is an ongoing job in the face of constant threats brought on mostly with how we live and basically not understanding that resources aren't limitless. Pollutants of the past are always replaced with new ones, although maybe less visually dramatic. ....But we cannot afford to sit on our laurels just because we did something good 20 years ago and think the work is done. In a consumer society, the work never ends, nor should the watch dogging on such issues, and instead be left in the trust of companies who tell us they will do right by us. This has not worked, the river caught fire once for it..and oil spilled in the gulf when safety standard recommendations were ignored that would have prevented that disaster.  The lists of incidents that happen when we get off their backs, is endless.

^lol

So an inconsistent and bad test is better than no test?  And further, Northeast Ohio's drivers should pay the price for the sins of the local manufacturing companies?

 

Let's be honest here.  Northeast Ohio's population isn't what it used to be, and I'd suspect that would mean less cars on the road.  Additionally, the local economy has shifted quite a bit from dirty manufacturing to other sectors.  The air quality is definitely better than what it used to be.

 

Point being, I think there are a lot of good reasons why this law could very easily be eliminated.  And if not, at the very least, inconvenience the residents of all major urban areas in this state, not just Cleveland and Akron.

Why eliminate it if the flaws can be repaired? It's not that big of a deal. I've done it for years. Hate seeing cars with totally borked exhaust systems driving around; don't want to see more of them.

 

Are there any impact studies we can see about the air quality in CC over the lifespan of e-check? How about the pass/fail stats?

 

I have to agree with EC; the notion that most individuals will do the environmentally-friendly, long-term thing without any coercion is ridiculous. This has been proven again and again throughout history, and E-Check is not bankrupting or unduly inconveniencing anyone. It would be better if we had unified federal standards that accomplished the same thing, but the EPA has been gutted and left a shell of its previous self. If they won't do it, I'm fine with it being done on a local level, expenses and all.

I find it to be quite an inconvenience, as I'm sure others do.

 

And I wish someone would do a study on how much pollution is caused by people driving to E-Check and then hanging around in long lines with their cars idling.

Its just more beurocratic red tape, money making deal for someone.  There has always been pollution, we've proven we can clean it up, with it or without it, people are still living longer and longer lives.  Its not needed bacause a few idiots have bad exhaust systems.

Frankly, we'd be better off with a statewide safety inspection rather than jamming something up people's tailpipes and running their cars to 6,000 rpm (or more) on a dyno. There are so many cars running around that aren't roadworthy due to bald tires, bad brakes and destroyed suspensions. Currently though, as long as they don't pollute to much they are OK according to the state. Emissions-wise, they should just check for catalytic converters, air pumps and smoke. Basically what West Virginia does.

I had thought Ohio did away with this years ago.  At least it did in the Cincy area.  What a hoax of a program!

 

I had thought Ohio did away with this years ago.  At least it did in the Cincy area.  What a hoax of a program!

 

 

I think it's a county thing.  The counties around Cincy require gas stations to sell gas that is cleaner, and then they can do away with e-check.  The net result is similar.

 

The inspection thing is a joke anyway, at least it was in New York.  There were plenty of places that would pass any car if you slipped a couple extra twenties in with your payment.

I find it to be quite an inconvenience, as I'm sure others do.

 

And I wish someone would do a study on how much pollution is caused by people driving to E-Check and then hanging around in long lines with their cars idling.

 

I've been in Ohio 4 years but because I had a newer vehicle, this was the first year that my car was up for an E-Check. While I think it's good that we have a program in place, I couldn't help but think what an absurd waste of emissions the actually test is, and that the test really needs to target the vehicles that are prone to emissions problems.

 

I drove 25 minutes to the nearest testing station on a very cold winter Saturday day. Of course being the weekend there were at least 40 cars in line waiting to be checked. There are giant signs saying do not turn off car engine, and being nearly zero degrees outside, it's not like anyone would want to just turn off their car. So, I sat in line, my car idling for almost 40 minutes with the other 40 cars. They "check" my car, and 2 minutes later I drive 25 minutes back home. In essence that test for me, and for hundreds of thousands in Northeast Ohio creates a HUGE amount of unnecessary emissions each year. I don't know what the pass/fail rate is, but it just seems like it's an almost zero sum game, with the test itself being a large source of pollution.

 

I think they could almost push the age of the car limit to 6 or 7 years to reduce a lot of this unnecessary testing.

 

I think they could almost push the age of the car limit to 6 or 7 years to reduce a lot of this unnecessary testing.

 

That sounds reasonable.

I find it to be quite an inconvenience, as I'm sure others do.

 

And I wish someone would do a study on how much pollution is caused by people driving to E-Check and then hanging around in long lines with their cars idling.

 

I've been in Ohio 4 years but because I had a newer vehicle, this was the first year that my car was up for an E-Check. While I think it's good that we have a program in place, I couldn't help but think what an absurd waste of emissions the actually test is, and that the test really needs to target the vehicles that are prone to emissions problems.

 

I drove 25 minutes to the nearest testing station on a very cold winter Saturday day. Of course being the weekend there were at least 40 cars in line waiting to be checked. There are giant signs saying do not turn off car engine, and being nearly zero degrees outside, it's not like anyone would want to just turn off their car. So, I sat in line, my car idling for almost 40 minutes with the other 40 cars. They "check" my car, and 2 minutes later I drive 25 minutes back home. In essence that test for me, and for hundreds of thousands in Northeast Ohio creates a HUGE amount of unnecessary emissions each year. I don't know what the pass/fail rate is, but it just seems like it's an almost zero sum game, with the test itself being a large source of pollution.

 

I think they could almost push the age of the car limit to 6 or 7 years to reduce a lot of this unnecessary testing.

 

Thanks, I knew I couldn't have been the only one that noticed that irony of the amount of emissions the test itself produces. ;)

I'm fine with replacing it with something more effective, or allowing the highway patrol to spot-check people who are belching thick exhaust. I admit I'm a bit of an extremist on the issue - I really don't want the 'few idiots' to get away with it. Depending on how much administration costs, maybe it's not worth it, though.

 

I never waited more than a few minutes for my tests, but if that's really the case that huge lines of cars are sitting there all day, well...that's stupid. Like I said, unified national standards from the point of manufacture would be the best solution.

A year or two ago I was driving a car that belonged to my dad, who lives in Summit county (an e-check county).  I was in school at OSU in Columbus.  I called to see if there was anything I could do to get out of the test since the car hadn't been in an e-check county in over a year, but the lady on the phone told me it was "my problem" that I lived an hour from the nearest location.  I drove a fairly new car for 2 hours to show that it was environmentally friendly...the irony was not lost on me.

 

I'm all for taking care of the environment and I don't have a problem with paying more for stuff if it reflects the true cost to society, but there's just no way that e-Check is worth it.

As I was driving behind a vehicle belching smoke with FRANKLIN County (#25) plates in my home county of Lake yesterday, it reminded me of this unjust program in place.  We can go back a few years & analyze the politics behind this wonderful program... it's only wonderful if you don't live in one of the 7 counties still in this.

 

We in Lake county have the Lake as our air conditioner, are in a snow belt which cleans the air 6 months out of the year, yet the EPA's monitoring station was downwind from the Lake East Hospital ensuring a failing grade.  FRANKLIN County is land locked in the Hocking valley, with now more vehicle registrations in it's urban area than the Cleveland area.

 

This was to once again to have expired in August of '15, not sure what happened to keep the program in place.  Senator Teresa Fedor slipping a rider into one of her bleeding heart human interest bills perhaps?  I seen her on the PBS Ohio channel in action, she is great at this.

 

I recycle my trash down to the water in my dehumidifier, yet I see the waste & inconvenience this program creates, I really don't want to bother anymore.....   

 

For you folks up in Northeast Ohio that don't purchase a Brand New vehicle every few years..

 

From the Archives,  Real politics in action, strange that Senator Fedor thought this was so important slip in for the corner of the state she does not represent, yet she got her own constituents in the Toledo area out of the program several years earlier.

 

A neat case of 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine', as we up in the northeast corner of the state are forever stuck with this biennial inconvenience, Senator Fedor goes her merry way & some how keeps getting re-elected (I bet she wouldn't if she would have done this to her own constituents) ... wonder if Envirotest is also on her list of her campaign contributors?  A shame this was even bigger than Senator Grendell to fight off.  The Columbus area forever exempt from this useful & wonderful program?  I just don't get it at all.

 

Well, just keep on 'drinking the Kool-Aid' up here & just keep on saying "at least we don't have to pay for it", but we do!

 

If you oppose this program, remember Teresa Fedor or Bill Harris if they are ever running for a statewide office.

 

 

E-Check renewal slipped into state bill as rider

 

Published: Thursday, December 13, 2007, 9:17 AM    Updated: Thursday, December 13, 2007, 9:26 AM

 

By Peter Zicari, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

 

E-Check here to stay -- for now

 

Auto emissions testing program was set to expire this year

 

 

By Aaron Marshall

Plain Dealer Bureau

 

Columbus -- Northeast Ohio drivers will continue to be stuck with E-Check.

 

That's the long and short of a last-minute amendment sought by Gov. Ted Strickland and included in a handful of bills that state lawmakers passed Wednesday in a flurry before leaving for 2007.

 

With the contract for the auto emissions testing program set to expire this year, Strickland's staff had been looking for a way to extend it. They found it in House Bill 24, when Sen. Minority Leader Teresa Fedor, a Toledo Democrat, slipped a rider into the unrelated measure.

 

Original Link: (& my apologies to ones toes I may have stepped on)

 

"Sorry, you are not allowed to post external links."

 

Yes this is old news, but thought it was some insight for the OP.

 

 

Yet Senator Fedor was opposed to raiding the Tobacco funds to finance this.....

 

 

Published: Thursday, 4/7/2005

 

Ohio tobacco cash may be raided of $20M for emission tests

 

BY JIM PROVANCE

BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU

 

 

COLUMBUS - House Republicans plan to raid Ohio's settlement with tobacco companies to the tune of $20 million to pay for auto-emissions testing in the Cleveland and Akron areas.

 

"We believe this has a similar goal," House Speaker Jon Husted (R., Kettering) said. "We are trying for clean air. We believe this is a health issue for northeast Ohio and an economic issue for the whole state."

 

 

Five years later and NEO residents still stuck with this unfair mandate.

 

#CLExit

I remember when I was 18 and lived in Cincinnati, I just lied to the BMV and told them my home address is in Columbus (I gave them a family member's address) to evade e-check. I can't believe I actually pulled it off.

Why does Cleveland still have this but SW Ohio doesn't? Cincinnati always seems to be under smog warnings in the summer. Not that the test is really necessary any more, especially for new cars - all they do is plug their little computer into the car and download the emissions data.

Why does Cleveland still have this but SW Ohio doesn't? Cincinnati always seems to be under smog warnings in the summer. Not that the test is really necessary any more, especially for new cars - all they do is plug their little computer into the car and download the emissions data.

 

New cars are exempt for the first four years.

Wasn't the situation that the testing company had a long-term play or pay contract with the state and that's why the program has been kept in place and is now free (since it is really needles...)?

As far as I know, it is a EPA mandate if an area of the country is not in compliance to have some program put in place to control greenhouse gases. Ohio EPA chose to go for auto exhaust as the primary way to control emissions instead of going after coal-fired utilities, auto plants, or the steel industry that were the main cause.  With all the shutdowns of plants throughout Northeast Ohio plus newer vehicles on the road with better exhaust systems and electric and hybrid cars, I would think we should be pretty close to being in the clear. Although, I believe it just takes 1 or 2 smog alert days a year which can happen with the recent spate of 90+ degree days to keep the e-check program in place.

I'm willing to bet NEO is full of rolling coal truckers.

 

^Wow! I guess I don't get out in my community enough. I haven't seen or heard about that yet. I may have seen it but I assumed there was something seriously wrong with the vehicle. Little did I know.

  I think the presence of e-check may curtail that kind of activity around here as they wouldn't really appreciate the mods. So I guess I am for keeping it now that I would totally expect 90% of the fine upstanding citizens that drive lifted pick-ups to want to do this.

Why does Cleveland still have this but SW Ohio doesn't? Cincinnati always seems to be under smog warnings in the summer. Not that the test is really necessary any more, especially for new cars - all they do is plug their little computer into the car and download the emissions data.

 

Politics, I suspect.

I find a lot of the information on this program has been buried (ie: read somewhere this being set to expire in July/August of '15), but I could never find the source of this info.  Probably heavy politics is involved, Envirotest allegedly was a heavy contributor to George Voinovich's political campaign funds at the time.

 

How Fedor & Harris became their "Pit-Bulls" is unclear to me. 

 

After having my head gasket blown on site in one of the testing stations in 2000, I found the state of Ohio or Envirotest is not responsible for damage to your vehicle in a test facility, I was given a pass so I could have plates issued & could sit in my driveway when it was no longer drivable.

 

I tend to only drive < 10K/yr & splitting this on 2 vehicles my vehicles tended to be on the threshold of non-compliance at test time.  My "summer" vehicle had to be taken out on I-90 & opened up for stretches (neither safe or sane), in order to archive a pass. 

 

This is also a great inconvenience running for 30 day tags, taking off work for repairs, a burden to the elderly & low income, who likely this program is targeted to getting their vehicles off the road. 

^Wow! I guess I don't get out in my community enough. I haven't seen or heard about that yet. I may have seen it but I assumed there was something seriously wrong with the vehicle. Little did I know.

  I think the presence of e-check may curtail that kind of activity around here as they wouldn't really appreciate the mods. So I guess I am for keeping it now that I would totally expect 90% of the fine upstanding citizens that drive lifted pick-ups to want to do this.

 

I cannot view the video, but I believe this sort of activity (Mud Puppies) is more common in Ashtabula County.

 

There is also a bumper modification Height Requirement that should be in all areas of the state, so I don't believe that is being diligently enforced. 

Ashtabula is not part of the echeck program. Only 7 counties around Cleveland

^^^

 

That is why it's more common in Ashtabula County, they can get away with that.

 

.... Awaiting my garaged vehicle to turn 25 so I can finally register it once again.

You can turn the smoke down for E-Check then turn it back up when you're done.

Wow, I thought E Check was stopped years ago statewide, not just down in Cincy. I used to think it was the biggest pain in the butt and waste of money.

 

 

I am so glad we no longer have to worry about this down in Southern Ohio.

 

Why was it not discontinued in NE Ohio but it was in the rest of the state?

 

 

After having my head gasket blown on site in one of the testing stations in 2000, I found the state of Ohio or Envirotest is not responsible for damage to your vehicle in a test facility, I was given a pass so I could have plates issued & could sit in my driveway when it was no longer drivable.

 

I had a similar experience.  When I took my car to the state-approved inspector to have the engine damage checked out, he "found" a previously non-existent transmission leak.  At that point I sold the car for scrap.

Frankly, we'd be better off with a statewide safety inspection rather than jamming something up people's tailpipes and running their cars to 6,000 rpm (or more) on a dyno. There are so many cars running around that aren't roadworthy due to bald tires, bad brakes and destroyed suspensions. Currently though, as long as they don't pollute to much they are OK according to the state. Emissions-wise, they should just check for catalytic converters, air pumps and smoke. Basically what West Virginia does.

 

About once a year you'll see a car with the old "Cincinnati O H I O" inspection sticker on it.  There are all kinds of crappy cars missing mufflers and everything else in the city.  At least Uber requires a cursory inspection of all vehicles. 

 

When I lived in NYC it was fairly common knowledge that to pass the emissions test with a car that didn't deserve to pass it, you just went to one of the Indian owned places down by the Queensboro bridge and paid in cash. I don't know if Ohio ever had any places seedy enough to pull something like that off.

Wow, I thought E Check was stopped years ago statewide, not just down in Cincy. I used to think it was the biggest pain in the butt and waste of money.

 

 

I am so glad we no longer have to worry about this down in Southern Ohio.

 

Why was it not discontinued in NE Ohio but it was in the rest of the state?

 

I posted something a few days ago explaining this but the repost was a violation of terms, & the site would not allow me to repost the article link, in a nutshell, Teresa Fedor (working with Bill Harris) slipped the 7 counties in northeast Ohio  as a rider on one of her unrelated bills in exchange for federal highway funds, it was a verbal 11th hour vote before recess so many did not know exactly what they were voting for, thus the 7 counties up here will likely be in the program for eternity.   

 

We have just accepted this program, & now the state threw us a bone, & made it biennial & free, but it's still unwarranted & a PITA, I really can't see how the other urban areas are making attainment every year.

 

It will never go away, no resistance or current actions to get rid of it.   

 

After having my head gasket blown on site in one of the testing stations in 2000, I found the state of Ohio or Envirotest is not responsible for damage to your vehicle in a test facility, I was given a pass so I could have plates issued & could sit in my driveway when it was no longer drivable.

 

I had a similar experience.  When I took my car to the state-approved inspector to have the engine damage checked out, he "found" a previously non-existent transmission leak.  At that point I sold the car for scrap.

 

Basically that's what I had to do when the vehicle became underivable at some point soon after.  I felt they were abusing it on the rollers in order to get their fail quota for the day, think they knew they did wrong when it filled up the bay with smoke/steam at the end of the test.    Anyways you can't fight city hall once again on this one...

 

Eeeee Check... Removing vehicles off the road, one at a time! :) 

I doubt there are fail quotas.

Since moving to Cleveland from Detroit, getting lost in white or black smoke from cars is a thing of the past. Even if it has its issues, it's somewhat effective and could be fixed and updated in the future.

I doubt there are fail quotas.

 

Back at that time there was some local controversy that enough cars weren't failing & the program was unwarranted.  Believe at that time all vehicles had to go on the rollers.

 

May not be the case now, but then they needed to justify the programs existance.

 

Why was Lake County's official air monitoring in downwind of the Lake East Hospitals incenerator stack?

 

 

I find it to be quite an inconvenience, as I'm sure others do.

 

And I wish someone would do a study on how much pollution is caused by people driving to E-Check and then hanging around in long lines with their cars idling.

 

Yes, this happened, & that certainly looked silly didn't it!  :-D  Our Government in Action!

Another factor is that cars age better now -- emissions-wise at least. Remember back in the '90s when all of those terrible '70s jalopies were blatting around with destroyed suspensions, leaking oil everywhere and smoking like freight trains? Today's equivalents, the meth-head piloted 1995 Chevy Luminas and 98 Chrysler Town & Countries that JUST WON'T DIE aren't as bad as the '77 LTDs.

^^^

 

A lot of these emission issues have taken care of themselves over the years, it's pretty much as good as it's going to get.  I often wondered why they inspected the fuel inlets of vehicles for modifications in this program many years AFTER leaded gas was no longer available (there was always the temporary adapter to get around that anyway). 

 

The repairs should had become easier, & more reasonable over the years, instead it seemed to become a collusion to drive prices up.  I remember a converter replacement upwards of a grand, though now they are more robust & can last the life of the vehicle. 

 

Since moving to Cleveland from Detroit, getting lost in white or black smoke from cars is a thing of the past. Even if it has its issues, it's somewhat effective and could be fixed and updated in the future.

 

Was behind another County 25 FRANKLIN "tuner" the other day putting out excessive smoke, shouldn't the program go statewide?

^Wow! I guess I don't get out in my community enough. I haven't seen or heard about that yet. I may have seen it but I assumed there was something seriously wrong with the vehicle. Little did I know.

  I think the presence of e-check may curtail that kind of activity around here as they wouldn't really appreciate the mods. So I guess I am for keeping it now that I would totally expect 90% of the fine upstanding citizens that drive lifted pick-ups to want to do this.

 

I would also guess "Wisconsin Stack Kit Seller", breeds and has children & grandchildren that will eventually inherit this cesspool!  :wink: 

 

From the article I originally posted, this program was about 10 minutes from going away for good back in '07 & god knows what happened in July of '15 to keep in place, some conspiricy we shall never know of.

 

About once a year you'll see a car with the old "Cincinnati O H I O" inspection sticker on it.  There are all kinds of crappy cars missing mufflers and everything else in the city.  At least Uber requires a cursory inspection of all vehicles.

 

Interesting, a City only inspection?  I often wondered what the OSP Windshield sitckers even meant, I never hear of them inspecting vehicles on a regular basis, but still occasionally see one of them stickers.

 

 

Another factor is that cars age better now -- emissions-wise at least. Remember back in the '90s when all of those terrible '70s jalopies were blatting around with destroyed suspensions, leaking oil everywhere and smoking like freight trains? Today's equivalents, the meth-head piloted 1995 Chevy Luminas and 98 Chrysler Town & Countries that JUST WON'T DIE aren't as bad as the '77 LTDs.

 

When I was a kid I remember the haze that sat in the Cincinnati basin every summer (coming into town from any of the hillsides), and even when you came across the top of 275 as you approached Tri-County Mall and I-75.  I remember this haze still being there in the mid-90s.  Then in the late 90s everything really started clearing up.  The air and the river. 

 

Also, in the 80s I remember black stripes running down the center of the lanes on the interstates, especially the slow lane.  The cars and trucks were leaking oil like crazy back then. 

 

 

 

 

[

 

Also, in the 80s I remember black stripes running down the center of the lanes on the interstates, especially the slow lane.  The cars and trucks were leaking oil like crazy back then. 

 

 

You wouldn't notice this as much now with most expressways being blacktopped.

 

They (automakers) have come a way since, & never understood the logic when they were still checking the fuel inlets for modifications long after leaded gas had been off the market.... Then again it took our politicans several decades to figure out that steel license plates rust out & become unreadable when exposed to corrosive road chemicals.  :|

 

One thing I note in the winter here is the salt/chemical brine on everything & in the air, I challange Senator Fedor to look into this, no wonder we have a higher rate of heart disease here.

 

[

 

Also, in the 80s I remember black stripes running down the center of the lanes on the interstates, especially the slow lane.  The cars and trucks were leaking oil like crazy back then. 

 

 

You wouldn't notice this as much now with most expressways being blacktopped.

 

They (automakers) have come a way since, & never understood the logic when they were still checking the fuel inlets for modifications long after leaded gas had been off the market.... Then again it took our politicans several decades to figure out that steel license plates rust out & become unreadable when exposed to corrosive road chemicals.  :|

 

One thing I note in the winter here is the salt/chemical brine on everything & in the air, I challange Senator Fedor to look into this, no wonder we have a higher rate of heart disease here.

 

 

I've never considered that specific health issue. But I'd love to see an honest cost/benefit analysis to using road salt. The consequences from using it must cost billions.

I've never considered that specific health issue. But I'd love to see an honest cost/benefit analysis to using road salt. The consequences from using it must cost billions.

 

Compare old blacktop bike trails that never get salted to nearby roads.  The oldest sections of the 88-mile trail between Cincinnati and Columbus are from 1986 or thereabouts and cracking and other deterioration is minimal. 

 

 

 

[

 

Also, in the 80s I remember black stripes running down the center of the lanes on the interstates, especially the slow lane.  The cars and trucks were leaking oil like crazy back then. 

 

 

You wouldn't notice this as much now with most expressways being blacktopped.

 

 

 

Roads fade quickly. It was really bad up until about 2000 or so. You couldn't ride a motorcycle in the middle of a lane safely on a busy road. My instincts sometimes still won't let me ride in the middle of a lane, especially while braking. Braking zones really milked a Cordoba of its oil.

I've never considered that specific health issue. But I'd love to see an honest cost/benefit analysis to using road salt. The consequences from using it must cost billions.

 

Used in great quantities, likely overused, Morton Salt is also a large employer up here too, so that's a no brainer.  I've noted all the salt, calcium gumming up & ruining my sink cartridges in most recent years, leeching through my basement walls, all over my windows in the winter/springtime.  It is also a corrosive.... look at the damage on concrete, & bridge structures since you cited billions, I imagine you are correct. 

 

Let's give another situation speaking of the environment... I recently took an 18 inch fluorescent tube up to my local Lowes for disposal/recycling (as both the Big Box Stores have disposal for "nasty" Mercury Containing CFL lamps... yeah, do the RIGHT thing!), I was informed they don't recycle the Tube lamps only the small CFL's, but they would be happy to dispose of it in their trash that would end up in an ordinary landfill (occasionally my Garbage men have left these on my lawn)...  Fact is the large tubes contain about twice more mercury that these small CFL lamps, so what gives?  It's likely all about Kickbacks & leading to believe us they care, but in reality they really don't, someone found a nitche to make some cash on CFL recycling.

 

Just like someone is making a ton of cash (& kickbacks) on this E-Check! ;)   

One thing I note in the winter here is the salt/chemical brine on everything & in the air, I challange Senator Fedor to look into this, no wonder we have a higher rate of heart disease here.

 

 

I see she was re-elected once again in the 45th District.  :x ... if she would only keep to her own business there.

 

She never would have won if she re-instated her own counties back in the E-Check Program.