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Comment by shiroiushi | Hacker News Reader

According to the article, the system only pumps waste into the exhaust when the exhaust temperature is 900F and the vehicle is moving at least 35mph. So just dumping sewage onto the streets isn't how they work at all, unlike they're broken I guess. Also, this system apparently wasn't common, since it was just on one model, in one year, right before the oil embargo caused the entire RV industry to mostly die out for a while.

Honestly, this thing doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. It would be interesting to see how it really affects tailpipe emissions with some modern testing (when it's working properly, of course).

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It sounds slightly less bad than dried horse dung on the streets.

Seriously the savings to the RVs for polluting the commons are probably pennies on the dollar for all the issues this could cause others on the roads and near them.

>It sounds slightly less bad than dried horse dung on the streets.

How so? It only releases liquid waste, not solid waste, and it's released into the exhaust stream that's 900F, at a rather low flow rate. Just guessing, I'd say the emissions from this device really don't sound harmful at all, whereas the emissions from the vehicle's engine itself (which probably lacks a catalytic converter since it was 1973) are quite awful. I'm also guessing that the emissions from this thing can't possibly be as bad as the emissions from all the diesel pickups today with their engines modified to "roll coal", which is rather common and completely unregulated.

and ironically, what’s the exhaust treatment used for diesels? Urea. (Aka DEF/Adblue)

Hah, could've been a win-win situation.

Until you get the message on your dash "AdBlue tank low. Please urinate to start engine."

Lets say that the legally allowed limits of various pests which might infiltrate food production were taken as a guideline and 90% of those limits were intentionally added as filler, with the remaining 10% of the legal limit as a safety factor against recalls.

Would you agree that's a bad thing? This is intentionally dumping waste in a diluted form; but right in front of the possibility of a sea of cars which happen to not be in a traffic jam (35+ mph IIRC?). Well maybe the motor-home is safely and slowing taking the curves on a narrow 2 lane highway with no real opportunity for passing with a bunch of cars backed up behind it, forced to endure the exhausts.

I assume the 900°F part had a lot to do with making this a viable consideration.

Of course, I'm with you - wouldn't want to be behind it either. That said, in the 1970s cars left a cloud enriched with lead so ...

Consider also how common leaded gasoline was in the 1970s.

Your last comment is incorrect. They are absolutely regulated. Enforcement lacked for years but had caught up quickly in the past 2 years. Fines are huge if you get caught doing it.

if it's broken, sure. but any broken sewage system is hazardous. if it's working as described it sounds completely safe

Dogs puts excrements everywhere: parks, streets, even restaurants and grocery stores. This society loves poop!

Edit: Many people do not collect their poop. Or leave it behind on fence wrapped in thin bag. And most just pick up like 70% and leave rest. And diarrhoea is just smeared thin all over the floor.

But by "excrements" I also mean urine. And small bits that fall from exposed dirty but-holes, like when dog sits down, and leaves brown marks on white seat.

I don't know about where you live, but in my town, people are required to pick up their dogs' poop, wherever it may be.

People are "required" to do all sorts of things, yet they get away with not doing them every single day.

I remember being a kid in the 1960's dog poop, cig butts, pop tops, and broken glass everywhere. Every vacant lot accumulated junk.

More on topic diesel trucks and buses had the tail pipe coming out of the back. I remember carping at my mom for always stopping right behind buses. And she said, oh you're right.

Different world before the 1970's

That's very normal in America. But it's also very normal for people to simply ignore this rule, and leave poop all over the sidewalk.

Similarly, many public parks require that dogs be kept on a leash. However, here again dog owners don't think they need to follow rules, and let their dogs run loose. Reminding them of the rule is usually met with hostility, profanity, and physical threats.

I don't know about where you live, but in my town, people are required to pick up their dogs' poop, wherever it may be.

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