Last was one of the auto industry financed lobbying club had come under fire because he had commissioned scientists in the United States with emissions tests on monkeys. According to a newspaper report, however, human subjects had to inhale the irritant gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
Accordingly, the “European Research Association for Environment and Health in the Transport Sector” (EUGT) supported an experiment in which 25 young and healthy subjects inhaled nitrogen dioxide at different concentrations at an institute of the University of Aachen for several hours. This reports the “Stuttgarter Zeitung “Car exhausts are considered the main source of the substance.
Subsequently, the subjects were examined. Result: According to EUGT, no effect could be detected. The study was published according to “Stuttgarter Zeitung” 2016. The EUGT was dissolved a year later. She was in 2007 by the corporations Daimler . VW . BMW and the auto supplier Bosch been founded.
Daimler distances itself from both studies
The competent Aachen director Thomas Kraus pointed out that the study was not particularly meaningful, because the findings can not be transferred to the entire population and because nitrogen dioxide accounts for only a part of the total air pollution. Therefore, one should not use the experiment with the test subjects to give the all-clear, the newspaper quotes the scientist.
The Stuttgart Daimler Group distanced itself on Sunday from both the investigations of the monkey and the Aachen study. One condemns the attempts “in the strongest terms,” said a spokesman to the newspaper. The EUGT’s approach “contradicts our values and ethical principles”. Now it should be at the request of the Group a “comprehensive investigation”.
Volkswagen has only been so far apologized for the experiments with monkeys , Clearly distance yourself from all forms of animal cruelty. Works Council leader Bernd Osterloh told the “world” that the processes in the US laboratories would have to be disclosed.
VW works council: “Personal consequences check”
“We as a works council have a clear opinion: If that is true, then that has nothing to do with impeccable ethical-moral behavior, but nothing,” said Osterloh. Involved VW managers should be held to account for his words. “Should those responsible at the time still be on board, then personal consequences must be examined.”
The experiments with the monkeys had become public through a search of the “New York Times”. The newspaper reported that in 2014 the animals had been detained for four hours in rooms with exhaust gases from a VW Beetle equipped with manipulated exhaust technology.
The tests were part of a study , which should prove that the diesel pollutant load has decreased considerably thanks to modern emission control. The US-based Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute conducted the investigation, the contracting entity was the EUGT. According to the study director, VW was responsible for this.