News-Update: Contaminated Gas Reports Continue to Rise in Florida
Florida's Reported E10 Gasoline Problems Include:
- Gas grossly contaminated with water.
(Often due to improper storage of E10 by the gas station retailer or fuel distributor).
- Purchase of E10 gasoline contaminated with dirt, rust and sediment.
(Gas pumps not properly cleaned and prepared prior to switchover to E10 by both the consumer and gas retailer.
- Reports of pumps containing ethanol alcohol that do not have E10 sticker label.
(All over but most have been in Miami and Tampa areas).
- Stations dispensing over 10% legal limit of ethanol at E10 gas pumps.
Highest incidence of reports to us have been from following locations: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa and St. Petersburg area.
This seems to have resolved when petroleum oil prices dropped and ethanol costs increased (it's no longer profitable for the fuel blender to add extra ethanol).
We strongly advise all people concerned about using gas containing alcohol,
visualize fuel (contaminated fuel usually appears, cloudy, dark, or has visible sediment) and
Once again we must reinforce that when E10 gas blend is fresh and of high quality (meets ASTM standards) most modern engines can run on E10 with only minor inconveniences (lower energy- decreased mpg and efficiency, short shelf life).
Florida's high incidence of contaminated E10 fuel (over past year) far exceeds problems other states experienced during E10 transition over past decade. Sale of contaminated gas is completely preventable...Sadly it appears Florida's government petroleum inspectors are not adequately addressing and resolving the issues.
We strongly advise all consumers to report contaminated gasoline to state government petroleum inspectors. (listed above).
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More Resources...
Visit Florida Bureau of Petroleum Inspection: This department regularly conducts inspection of petroleum fuel distributed throughout Florida to assure fuel meets state standards. In 2006-07 this department issued 352 stop-sale orders to prevent the sale of 961,242 gallons of substandard fuel. www.doacs.state.fl.us/standard/petro/index.html
The U.S. Department of Energy website includes extensive information on renewable and alternative fuels -
Visit Alternative Fuel Data Center (AFDC) www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/incentives_laws.html;
Renewable Fuels Standards www.epa.gov/otaq/renewablefuels/ and several other topics on EPA website,
www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/carstrucks.html
View Federal Renewable Fuel and Ethanol Laws.
Are you following the necessary precautions when using ethanol-blend gasoline?