No more leaded gasoline in 1999, says Sudjana
No more leaded gasoline in 1999, says Sudjana
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana said
leaded gasoline would be phased out until 1999, when it would be
banned to reduce pollution.
Therefore the public should start modifying their cars and
using natural gas, Sudjana was quoted by Antara as saying Sunday.
He was witnessing a vehicle emission test at the National
Monument (Monas) park.
He admitted the state-owned oil company Pertamina was still
producing leaded gasoline, such as Premix.
"But we have reduced the use of leaded gasoline by stopping
the production of Super gasoline, which had high lead levels,"
Sudjana said.
He said the public did not use much natural gas because there
was a limited number of stations providing unleaded fuel.
"But that will no longer be main reason as we are adding more
stations," Sudjana said.
"Maybe people are reluctant (to switch to natural gas) out of
habit," Sudjana said.
Last year, members of Swisscontact, a private foundation
working for urban environments, said here that banning leaded
fuel could improve the city's air quality by up to 40 percent
within a year.
David Kuper, the foundation's Jakarta representative, said
there was no need to wait for years before phasing out leaded
gasoline. "There is no need to wait until 2004," Kuper said.
Initially, Pertamina officials had told the foundation leaded
gasoline would be phased out by 2004 to allow time for the
adjustment of refineries and other changes.
Antara reported that Pertamina's president director, Faisal
Abda'oe, said the company had started producing more unleaded
fuel and adding more stations.
He said the marketing of Super TT, the unleaded fuel's brand
name, was still weak, as at Rp 975 per liter, it still cost more
than regular fuel.
In a seminar last week on public transport at the State
Ministry of Environment, Saut M. Lubis, an expert involved in the
city's Blue Sky anti-pollution drive, urged the government to
make leaded fuel more expensive than unleaded.
"I don't see why such a practical, urgent measure, is not
taken," Saut said, charging that the government was not serious
about improving air quality.
Last year Pertamina began supplying about 50,000 liters of
unleaded gasoline to the Jakarta market, the only place where
natural gas is sold.
Jakarta has 2.5 million vehicles and 153 stations for diesel
fuel and gasoline. Eleven have agreed to provide liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG). Thirteen stations also sell compressed
natural gas (CNG). (ste)