Study Warns of E15 Fuel Dangers

USA Today is reporting that several industry trade groups agree that more testing should be done. The Auto Alliance and Global Automakers and the Coordinating Research Council say that testing wasn’t finished and adding more ethanol to gasoline means engines and other mechanical parts could be negatively affected by its corrosive alcohol content.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers also weighed in on the dangers of upping the fuel blend from 10% ethanol to 15%; E10 is widely used at gas stations today.

“The Coordinating Research Council’s objective scientific tests have found disturbing evidence that increasing the amount of ethanol in gasoline above the current 10 percent causes serious damage to car engines. The study shows that a significant percentage of cars tested suffered engine damage when refueled with 15 percent ethanol. These are cars EPA has approved to run on E15 and are representative of approximately 5 million vehicles in the nation’s existing fleet,” President of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, Charles T. Drevna, said in a statement.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers is urging the EPA to reconsider their decision. “No one should be asked to pump first and ask questions later and become a participant in a giant science experiment to line the coffers of large agribusinesses while overlooking the real-world implications of E15,” Drevna said.

E15 alcohol fuel can wreck engines, auto groups’ data say (USA Today)

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