Dirty Gas

[aoar]

I read in an article in the NY times that Bush has lowered EPA standards for oil refineries, therefore allowing more gas to be refined, but dirtier. Is there any concern to the average driver of this "dirty gas"?

I understand that parts of the country are devestated and dirty gas may not be of priority...

 

[javacontour]

Perhaps they are talking about tailpipe emissions. We have probably 3 dozen different EPA mandated gasoline formulas in the US.

So perhaps dirtier means more pollution from burning the fuel.

I would think any "dirt" in the fuel is captured by your vehicles fuel filter.

T

 

[Rickey]

I think javacontour is on the right track here. I can (past tense now maybe?) drive 40 miles south and buy a completly different gas formulation. I think there might be permanent advantages to the refineries producing a few formulas like regular, midgrade, and premium for the whole country. As opposed to the patchwork of different formulas now mandated by the EPA. In fact why dont we just adopt Top Tier standards for all gas sold in the United States and eliminate all the inefficencies associated with all the differing standards. This would probably result in reducing gas prices everywhere, along with reducing emissions. Rickey.

 

[Shannow]

I think that it was the emissions from the refineries themselves.

 

[JHZR2]

If they shut down the desulfurizer units for simplicity, efficiency, or throughput sake, there may be some small effect on your cat converter - some fracton of which would be unreversible.

I dont think 'dirt' is an issue though, that is mainly a function of the filtration at the pump. Some of the heavier or lighter ends that arent usually there might be present, but itought not cause much of an issue, certainly not permanently.

JMH

 

[427Z06]

IIRC, they were only waiving the volatility standards. The fuel won't be any "dirtier".

 

[NovaMan]

quote:

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Originally posted by javacontour:
We have probably 3 dozen different EPA mandated gasoline formulas in the US.

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I thought the latest count was closer to 100?

 

[427Z06]

http://www.epa.gov/katrina/waiver-faq.htm#Whatfuelstandardsarebeingwaived