Unleaded gasoline alone 'cannot reduce pollution'

JAKARTA (JP): The government's effort to reduce air pollution in the capital by replacing leaded gasoline with unleaded fuel at the city's gas pumps appears to have had little effect on the problem as it might not be enough to lower vehicle emissions.

Incorrect engine tuning as well as engines in need of servicing are other causes for vehicles to produce a high rate of emissions.

Diesel fuel, which is widely used by public transportation, is also a major contributor of air pollution, especially when an engine is rundown as commonly seen on public buses, mechanics have said.

"Ideally, unleaded gasoline should be used with an engine that is in good condition, as a well-running engine will result in lower emissions. The vehicle, therefore, will produce less air pollution," Agung Nugroho, the senior mechanic at Shop and Drive auto repair shop on Jl. Radio Dalam in South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post.

Unleaded gasoline was introduced in Greater Jakarta on July 1, with the distribution of Premium TT and Premix TT unleaded fuel in addition to Super TT.

The lead was replaced with high octane mogas component (HOMC). Lead was previously added to gasoline to increase its octane level to boost engine performance. The lead added to fuel, however, causes air pollution.

Mechanics have said that using unleaded gasoline with octane levels below 85 could result in low acceleration, especially for cars that are not equipped with catalytic converters, which are mostly found in luxury cars.

The converter is used to reduce harmful elements in emissions that are hazardous to health.

"If you want to install such a converter for your car, it would cost between Rp 4 million and Rp 5 million," Agung said.

Separately, Alwi Adil, a spokesman for state oil and gas company Pertamina, said on Tuesday that the company had distributed unleaded gasoline to 386 gas stations throughout Greater Jakarta.

"The lead, which used to increase the octane level in premium gasoline, has been replaced with high octane mogas component, which causes less pollution," he said.

He admitted, however, that a few gas stations might sell leaded gasoline, which might still be in stock.

The government is phasing out leaded gasoline by 2003, as stipulated in the 1999 Ministry of Mines and Energy Law No. 1585, which states that all fuel is to be lead-free by 2003.

The chief executive of the committee for leaded fuel eradication, Ahmad Safrudin, said that unleaded fuel could be identified by its color and smell.

"Unleaded fuel has a clearer color compared with other fuels with stronger fumes," he told the Post on Tuesday.

The committee, which had initiated the campaign for the move to unleaded gas, is now monitoring the level of lead found in fuel sold at gas stations in Jakarta, following a recent finding that unleaded fuel distributed by Pertamina was still mixed with remaining supplies of leaded gasoline.

A gas station attendant in Menteng, Central Jakarta, admitted that he was not sure if the gasoline was unleaded.

"We'll announce the results in early October to see whether there has been a significant change to the level of lead in fuel distributed in the city," Ahmad said.

"We have also urged the Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) to measure the levels of lead in the air from vehicle emissions to complete the report," he added.

Not many motorists were aware that gasoline was unleaded.

"All I know is that the only unleaded gasoline is Super TT. I didn't know that premium was now unleaded," said one motorist, Pahala Situmeang.

Pahala has long used Super TT for his vehicle as the fuel causes less pollution and does not clog the engine. (06/bby)