Step on the gas in Sri Lanka
standards, unleaded petrol of 90 Octane grade is produced locally at the CPC Refinery with the sulphur content in the range of 5-10 ppm.
The current world fuel standard is”Euro”-4 and Sri Lanka is still using “Euro”-2 quality petrol introduced to the country almost 14 years ago. 92 Octane and 90 Octane petrol are below the “Euro”-2 standard.
The standards set by the developed nations should be introduced to control vehicle emissions in Sri Lanka. It is not costly according to current global prices of fuel.
Sri Lanka should import “Euro”-3 or “Euro”-4 standard petrol on par with the standards set by the developed countries.
There are two grades of diesel marketed by CPC in Sri Lanka. The "Super diesel" is having a maximum sulphur content of 0.25 per cent by weight and "Auto diesel" has a maximum sulphur content of 0.5 per cent by weight.
Around 60 per cent of the total consumption of auto diesel is imported and the refinery is capable of producing only 40 per cent of the present demand. The total quantity of super diesel consumed in the country is imported.
Although the requirement by specification is 0.5 per cent sulphur (maximum). The average sulphur content of auto diesel is around 0.38 per cent by wt.
Standards regulating Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other exhaust emissions from passenger cars in the EU have become more stringent over time. The permissible limit for emissions of NOx from diesel cars declined from 500 milligrams per km (mg/km) under”‘Euro” 3 to 80 mg/km under “Euro” 6.
Therefore Sri Lanka should go for at least “Euro” 6 diesel to control NOx emissions which is also an air pollutant.
The government is compelled to improve the quality of diesel since it contributes a lot towards the reduction of harmful diesel exhaust emissions causing environmental pollution and serious health hazards which cost both economically and socially on the society at large.
The sulphur content of super diesel Four Star has only 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur whereas the normal diesel has 500 units ppm sulphur.
The Euro 6 diesel is environmental friendly as it reduces the emission of toxic fumes such as sulphur, oxides of nitrogen and black smoke.
No institution has been officially named to check the quality of fuel while the services of the Department of Measurement Units, Standards and Services have been obtained from time to time.
CPC-sold fuel is randomly checked at their filling stations around three to four times a month by a special investigation unit, the regional managers, three officers appointed by the minister and the internal audit division upon receipt of complaints.
It is essential to designate a state institution such as the Department of Measurement Units, Standards and Services to carry out constant checks on fuel quality selling at petrol sheds to maintain proper standards. (The writer is the Chairman - Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA).
He is also the Director-Sales and Marketing of Senok Trade
Combine (Pvt) Ltd)
The current world fuel standard is”Euro”-4 and Sri Lanka is still using “Euro”-2 quality petrol introduced to the country almost 14 years ago. 92 Octane and 90 Octane petrol are below the “Euro”-2 standard.