U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials say an Arizona auto parts manufacturer will pay a $200,000 fine for selling pollution control bypass equipment.
They say Gilbert-based Vivid Distributing violated the Clean Air Act by allegedly installing, manufacturing and selling defeat devices, which bypass or render inoperative required emissions control systems.
Between 2014 and 2016, Vivid Distributing reportedly sold nearly 450 aftermarket products designed to defeat the emissions control systems of cars and trucks.
The EPA says the systems actually increase emissions of harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxide which is associated with health problems including heart and lung ailments like chronic bronchitis and asthma.
EPA testing has shown that defeat devices can increase a vehicle's nitrogen oxide emissions substantially.
