On Jul 24, Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) announced the introduction of additional fuel quality parameters to further regulate the scope of additives permitted for use in petrol and diesel. New requirements will come into effect from Jul 1, 2019. All petrol and diesel retailed at petrol stations and other authorized outlets will have to comply with the new limits.
NEA will introduce limits (refer to below table for the limits) for methanol, methyl-cyclopentadienyl-manganese-tricarbonyl (MMT), phosphorus and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) additives in petrol and diesel. These additives, if added into petrol and diesel, have negative effects on the environment and public health. Methanol produces toxic substances such as formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen, while manganese and phosphorous damage catalytic converters in petrol vehicles leading to higher emissions over time. FAME may increase the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel vehicles, and NOx increases the risk of respiratory infection in humans and reacts with other compounds to form ozone.
Limits on Additives in Petrol and Diesel (with effect from 1 July 2019)
Petrol
Additive | Limits |
Methanol | 3 vol%, max |
Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) | 2.0 mg/L, max |
Phosphorus | Shall not be added |
Diesel
Additive | Limits |
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) | 7 vol%, max |
Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) | 2.0 mg/L, max |
Note: The limits above are benchmarked against the EN228 (petrol) and EN590 (diesel) standards.
