Corn Ethanol in Gasoline Fuel

Everyone knows fossil fuel emissions are major contaminants to our environment. One solution in trying to reduce the damage caused by fossil fuel emissions is to change the formula of the fuel. Most of the gasoline in the US in the past 30 years has been a mixture of at least 5 to 10% ethanol. Ethanol producers are petitioning the EPA to increase the amount to 15%. Most engines are not capable of handling ethanol, as they were designed for a more pure fossil fuel gasoline. Increasing the amonut of ethanol would cause some engine failure as well as pose some health risks to the general population.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG);

"Growth Energy, a consortium of ethanol producers, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow 50% more ethanol in gasoline than is currently permitted, requesting approval for E15 fuel (a mixture of gasoline with 15% ethanol) (Growth Energy 2009).

EWG's review has found that:

1. A higher ethanol blend may damage non-road engines and emission control systems.
2. Emissions from higher ethanol fuels may worsen health risks from air pollution.
3. Distribution of higher ethanol fuel blends may pose new safety risks and higher fuel costs.
4. Higher-ethanol fuel blends may compromise lifetime performance of non-flex fuel vehicles. "

You can read more about it at http://www.ewg.org/biofuels/report/Ethanol-Health-Risks-and-Engine-Damage

-- David Honey