OneWorld.net (U.S.)

New Delhi: The Centre for Science and Environment welcomes the swift intervention of the Union Petroleum Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, to ascertain the status of the use of the MMT (methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl), a manganese-based octane enhancer in petrol.

This has elicited voluntary admission from the national oil companies that they have stopped blending MMT in petrol. For the first time Indian oil companies have volunteered to discontinue the use of a harmful substance in the face of strong public concern. Following a similar voluntary decision by the oil majors in the US and Canada, MMT business had just about begun to shift its base to Asia and Africa. This proactive move by the government stalls its insidious entry into India.

In a written communiqué to CSE, the Union Petroleum Minister has affirmed:

"I have got the reports from our oil PSUs. I have been informed that except for Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL), which uses marginal quantities of MMT as a trimming agent for a marginal increase in the octane number of motor spirit, other public sector oil refineries are not using MMT any more. You will be glad to learn that NRL too will discontinue the use of MMT by March 2006 by when the new facilities being set up by them for producing motor spirit are expected to be completed." http://www.cseindia.org/campaign/apc/mmt/aiyar_june05.PDF

This affirmation comes soon after Mr Aiyar’s assurance made to CSE in the first week of May, when he stated, "I am having the matter looked into." We are happy to note that the minister has responded to the public concern after we had drawn attention to the blending of this deadly poison and sought the minister’s immediate intervention to stop MMT use at the national level.

With this proactive support, India has been quick to bring to a halt the use of MMT before the business could grow. This close encounter with the toxic trade underscores the importance of constant regulatory vigil to prevent a splatter of noxious additives in the fuel stream. After this step forward, the country urgently needs a comprehensive fuel additive policy to screen additives for hazards and to prevent any adverse fallout in future. The producers and sellers of fuel additives must be made liable and made to bear the burden of proof to provide clear evidence that these do not harm public health.

In March this year, CSE had issued a public alert noting with deep concern and shock over the use of MMT in petrol by oil companies in India. We had demanded urgent national action to save the country from falling prey to the lethal neurotoxin. Manganese particles from MMT blended petrol damage the brain and also foul up emission control components in vehicles.

Source: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)