Unleaded gasoline alone 'cannot reduce pollution'

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)