The government has proposed new measures to reduce air pollution and cleaner fuel, including the banning of the controversial octane booster MMT by 2006.
The government has proposed new measures to reduce air pollution and cleaner fuel, including the banning of the controversial octane booster MMT by 2006.
The government’s draft strategy for the control of toxic exhaust emissions follows European emission controls.
The reports that to ensure cleaner air the government wants the content of petrol changed. First up is the banning of lead from petrol and stopping the use of MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl) to boost octane by 2006. MMT has been found to be damaging to the environment and catalytic converters.
The World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC), representing all the major motor manufacturers, the world Heath Organisation and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, has advised against the use of MMT.
CAR magazine last year quoted an excerpt from WWFC stating that studies have shown that the majority of MMT-derived manganese consumed in fuel stays within the engine and its exhaust system. One of the effects of this is to “coat internal engine devices such as spark plugs, causing a misfire condition that can lead to increased emissions and poor engine performance”.
The report claims that the combustion products of MMT also accumulate on the catalyst. Once coated, the performance of the catalyst is degraded, reducing its ability to convert exhaust emissions.
Meanwhile, the sulphur content in petrol will also be reduced to 500 parts per million by 2004 and 50 parts per million by 2010. Aromatics will have to be reduced to within the maximum of 35 per cent and benzine will be reduced to one per cent by 2010.
The newspaper also reported that by 2008 all new petrol vehicles must have catalytic converters as it would help reduce pollution caused by vehicle emissions. This applies to imported and locally manufactured vehicles.
The government plans to make the rules tougher by 2012 when all new petrol vehicles will have to comply with the stricter Euro 4 standards, which will be introduced in 2005 in Europe.