Most motorists ignorant about unleaded gasoline

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)