this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023

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Ebay Could Owe $1.9 Billion in Fines for Allowing Sale of 343,000 Emissions Defeat Devices (www.thedrive.com)

submitted 1 year ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Ebay Could Owe $1.9 Billion in Fines for Allowing Sale of 343,000 Emissions Defeat Devices::The Department of Justice alleges that eBay illegally sold 343,011 emissions defeat devices, and could face billions in penalties.

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[–] Alchemy@lemmy.world 159 points 1 year ago (2 children)

the DOJ also alleges that eBay sold 23,000 unregistered or restricted-use pesticides, which violated a 2020 U.S. EPA stop-sale order, as well as distributing 5,614 paint and coating removal products that contain methylene chloride. The chemical is linked with lethal brain and liver cancer, as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Yeah, fuck em up and fine them to hell.

[–] sebinspace@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago (6 children)

non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Ah shit, I was totally ready to blame them for Hank’s cancer

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[–] willis936@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

If ebay took this to court there's a good chance they'd win. The overturning of the Chevron deference means any action by the EPA or enforcement of its rules is on shaky footing.

[–] trailing9@lemmy.ml 80 points 1 year ago (4 children)

The bigger story is:

Who are those 343,011 idiots?

[–] mob@sopuli.xyz 42 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I'm sure some of them are idiots. I'm also sure there are some people who needed a car to work, catalytic converter went out and they needed to find the cheapest possible way to pass emissions and keep getting to work.

I know that because I'm about to drop a thousand or 2 on my catalytic converter, which I'll have to install myself to save money, to pass emissions. Luckily, I can budget well and every car repair known to man is on YouTube

[–] Rouxibeau@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Someone needs to start a catalytic converter rental service where in they install a caddy so you can get your emissions done and then they install the bypass when they take the unit back so that you can cheat the system and look legit. /s

[–] merthyr1831@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I feel like everyone should just share one catalytic converter if they're gonna cost that much

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Lots of deisel guys will delete the system due to cost and complexity.

[–] havokdj@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

My father did this, but he only did this because it was either delete the EGR or scrap the truck, a truck which, almost 9 years later, he has still not paid off. He had issues specifically with the emissions device and the work involved would have turned it into a Ship of Theseus

[–] rab@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Modern diesels are garbage due to their emissions technology. Oftentimes it costs an arm and a leg to fix that stuff, so lots of situations where you either delete those things or write off the vehicle.

The used market of the older diesels proves this, early 2000s trucks are crazy expensive because they are the last models without emissions stuff

[–] turkalino@lemmy.yachts 2 points 1 year ago

Number seems small tbh, there's millions of people in Texas

[–] eddietrax@dmv.social 58 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Saw one of these for the first time in our red neck of the woods. First thought when I saw all that black smoke coming out of that BBQ smoke stack was “how did that pass emissions?” Now I know why. Yuck

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That's less about removed emissions devices than a "performance" tune. A truck without a DPF isn't going to shit out black smoke unless some yahoo has a tuner that dumps fuel in that doesn't combust fully.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago

Which they do on purpose just to spite electrical car drivers; rolling coal, climate change isn't real, god is real and HE would never allow that, yadda yadda! Assholes be assholes.

[–] havokdj@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

An EGR delete WILL let you push out black smoke on a stock tune, but it won't let you "roll coal" as they call it, it'll only do it if you gas it real hard and even then, it'll just be a puff.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Exactly. You have to really be trying to make a properly tuned engine shit out smoke, or bad rings. Detuning for power is what smokes, and then you have these chucklefucks that specifically set up the engine to roll coal. I think people that do that should be put in a sealed room with a hose to the exhaust of their rigs and someone revs it until the fuel tank is empty.

[–] kungen@feddit.nu 16 points 1 year ago

I first thought that you worked at the DMV because of your instance name, lol.

[–] plz1@lemmy.world 47 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Looking forward to the $3M fine they settle on. That'll teach eBay, surely.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Oh boy this is going to be fun.

Btw that's $5,539.18 per device.

[–] Delphia@lemm.ee 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Damn near every aftermarket automotive part I have ever bought contains some variation of the "This is not intended for use on street vehicles, offroad and race use only" somewhere in the description.

I can cut out my cat and weld in a piece of 2 inch pipe and I just created an emissions defeat device... I can fit an oil catch can, if I plug the breather tube back into the intake its legal, if I vent to atmosphere its not.

I mean, people who "roll coal" have no sympathy from me but this case is nowhere near as cut and dried as a lot of people think.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 26 points 1 year ago (24 children)

I trust the DOJ to be able to distinguish between a 2 inch pipe and more deliberate devices.

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[–] Illecors@lemmy.cafe 31 points 1 year ago

Keyword being could. They won't, though. They'll get a million or two to pay and will move on with their day.

[–] Smacks@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Could = Wont

[–] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago

Ebay will appeal it for as long as they can, DON'T THREATEN ME WITH A GOOD TIME!

[–] Greyghoster@aussie.zone 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don’t think we care in Australia. The design rules are pretty much behind the pack, so much so that we run the risk of being the dumping ground for 3rd world vehicles.

[–] Delphia@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Its a $10,000 fine if you get caught de-catting a car.

Also we have the whole defect notice system, which I'm pretty sure the US doesnt have. We actually hold the end user accountable.

[–] Gbagginsthe3rd@aussie.zone 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just a shame we don’t have great emission standards to begin with. Apparently we use the cheap and dirty fuel of the world. Gotta sell it somewhere!

Shame its connected to thousands of deaths each year

[–] Thetimefarm@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

You guys were the last country in the world to ban leaded gas... in 2002 lol.

[–] Kushia@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I can already picture the episode of Highway Patrol now where Johno gets caught for the fifth time in the same car and cops a couple hundred bucks fine and the loss of a demerit point.

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