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| Wednesday 24 July 2002 |
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4Replacement for MTBE in Switzerland not Required |
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The replacement of MTBE by another substance is not necessary in Switzerland.
A BUWAL (Swiss Federal Office for Environment, Forest and Landscape) study points out that the groundwater contamination is clearly today and also in the coming years under the legally permitted limit value. The MTBE emissions decreased in the past ten years already by 40% and might sink in the coming years. |
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MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) serves since the introduction of the catalyst on vehicles as lead replacement in the gasoline. While MTBE in air decomposes very fast, it diminishes itself in the soil and in the groundwater only very slowly. Contrarily to other countries, no necessity exists to forbid this gasoline additive or to replace it by another substance in Switzerland.
In accordance with a study published recently by the BUWAL, the groundwater is loaded mainly by MTBE from the atmosphere, which arrives with the precipitation into the soil. The groundwater contamination is today clearly under the legally planned limit value of 200 micro gram/litres (?g/l). That might remain also apply in the future in such a way. The today's load is on the average with 0.05 ?g/l.
In the proximity of gas stations in air and in the water MTBE concentrations were measured, which laid up to 50-mal over the national average. These increased values come from gasoline vapors, which escape when filling up vehicles. For several years in Switzerland measures were met, in order to keep the air pollution as small with gas stations as possible. So gasoline pumps are today equipped with a gasoline vapor recuperation.
Besides strict water protection measures ensured with gasoline camps and places of transshipment for a strong decrease with the frequency of contamination.
Owing to these measures and the technological improvements with vehicles, the MTBE output sank within ten years around 40%. This reduction might continue in the coming years, so that the emissions will amount to still against 2010 thirds opposite the today's. An appropriate reduction is expected also during the groundwater contamination.
Berne, July 24, 2002 BUWAL
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