Most motorists ignorant about unleaded gasoline

JAKARTA (JP): Almost two-thirds of respondents to an Indonesian Consumers Foundation survey revealed they know practically nothing about unleaded gasoline.

The foundation's chairwoman, Tini Hadad, said yesterday that the survey, which involved 300 car drivers and 300 motorcycle riders across the city, was intended to gauge, among other things, people's awareness of the city's air pollution.

Almost 64 percent of respondents showed very little knowledge of the benefits of using unleaded gasoline, an environmentally friendly fuel which produces less air pollution than traditional gasoline.

"Unfortunately, although many respondents know that leaded gasoline is harmful to people's health, their knowledge of unleaded gasoline is still low," she said yesterday in a meeting to announce a clean air project for the city.

The scheme, which is scheduled to start this month and end in December next year, will be conducted jointly by Swisscontact, a private foundation working to improve urban environments, and PT Qipra Galang Kualita.

Tini said that people's poor knowledge of unleaded gasoline could be gauged from their responses to questions on the effects of unleaded gasoline.

Of the 36 percent of the respondents who claimed to know about unleaded gasoline, 19.5 percent said that unleaded gasoline improved engine performance; 6.5 percent said that it reduced engine performance; 3 percent said it destroyed engines and the remaining 7 percent said it did not affect engines at all.

"The answers, especially the fear that unleaded gasoline will destroy engines, show that many people still don't really know about unleaded gasoline," Tini said.

Despite the lack knowledge, Tini praised people's willingness to improve air quality by using unleaded gasoline.

Almost 84 percent of the respondents either "agreed" or "absolutely agreed" to use unleaded gasoline, providing its price was reasonable, she said.

During the meeting, Tini also urged state-owned oil company Pertamina to increase the number of gas stations selling unleaded gasoline.

"How can we urge people to use unleaded gasoline when there's a very limited number of gas stations which provide the fuel," she said.

Just like buying daily needs, people can be encouraged to buy a certain product if it is readily available.

"So far, only a small number of gas stations sell unleaded gasoline," Tini said without giving details.

Unleaded gasoline, under the brand name Super TT, is sold by Pertamina for Rp 975 (32 US cents) per liter, compared to Rp 850 for leaded fuel.

The company, however, has tried to reduce the use of leaded fuel by stopping the production of Super gasoline, which had high lead levels.

Last year Pertamina supplied about 50,000 liters of unleaded gasoline to the Jakarta market.

Jakarta has 2.5 million vehicles and 153 filling stations for diesel fuel and gasoline. Eleven have agreed to provide liquefied petroleum gas and 13 also sell compressed natural gas.

A member of Swisscontact said here last year that banning leaded fuel could improve the city's air quality by up to 40 percent within a year.

David Kuper, Swisscontact's resident representative in Jakarta, said yesterday that the advantages of a complete change to unleaded gasoline would reduce many health problems, raise affected children's IQs and lower vehicle maintenance costs.

Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana said in March that leaded gasoline would be phased out and be banned in 1999. (ste)