eli5: Why can’t we install filters over tailpipes to reduce their carbon output?

Question

I understand that this is not the solution, we need to phase out gas-powered engines in order to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, and I understand that the filters would have to be changed and washed/recycled/disposed of constantly and couldn’t just sit on the tailpipe clogging up, I just don’t understand why a filter would be useless, wouldn’t it help just a little? Would it just ruin the cars? What about rooftop carbon capture devices? Is there nothing we can do to reduce pollution and carbon output from our current combustion engines?

In: 4

Answer 1

We do. They’re called catalytic converters. But any filter is going to obstruct the emissions which has an impact on engine efficiency, so there is a trade off.