Robert C Stempel, former chairperson and ceo, General Motors, is largely credited for inventing the catalytic converter. In 1974 Corning, a us -based company, made the first catalyst substrates for autocatalyst manufacturers in the us. Catalysts were fitted into 1975 car models, marking the beginning of the gadget's exhaustive use. As Marcus Nurdin, managing director of the International Platinum Association (ipa) explains, "Since catalytic converters were first fitted, more than 12 billion tons of harmful gases have been rendered harmless worldwide.' ipa is celebrating the covertor's 30 th anniversary. Its interest? The gadget uses platinum-based metals.

More than 96 per cent of all cars manufactured today are equipped with convertors, an index of its importance. According to Johnson Matthey, a uk-based pioneer in the convertor business, a typical car in 1960 emitted over 100 grams of pollutants for every mile driven. Today, however, a new car bought in the us, Japan or Europe