Ethanol Blend Fuels Affects on Health and the Environment

1
Ethanol Blend Fuels Affects on Health and the
Environment

• Howard Haines
• Montana Department of Environmental Quality
• Eugene, Oregon, May 8, 2001

2
Air Quality Concerns

• Pollutants from vehicles and stationary sources
  collect to levels that are unhealthy for the
  general public
• Laws and rules were passed to protect the health
  of the general public that required oxygenated
  fuels

3
Areas with Air Quality Concerns in Oregon

• Portland
• Medford
• Grants Pass (delisted)
• Klamath Falls (delisted)

4
MTBE and Water Quality Concerns

• Has high affinity for water
• Makes water taste bad (20-40 PPM)
• Linked to cancer in rats
• Shown to cause illness in humans (allergic
  reactions, others) in levels as low as 2 PPB

5
Oregon and MTBE

• MTBE found in almost all Oregon gasoline either
  to increase octane or contaminated in transport
• Detectable levels in over 50 of all petroleum
  clean up sites, but in all cases another
  pollutant is the cause for cleanup
• Level must fall below 20 PPB for complete cleanup

6
Oregon and MTBE

• Tested 45 public water systems (100 sources) and
  only one with a detectable level (7 PPM)
• Two other water sources near cleanup sites found
  with MTBE
• Testing for MTBE being expanded for the other 300
  Oregon systems
• In Oregon 800-844-8467 or 800 452 4011

7
Concerns Experienced with MTBE in Missoula, West
Yellowstone

• People feeling ill, headaches, irritated eyes
• Visibility and odor
• Measured in snowpack, snow melt

8
Missoulas solution was to use ethanol

• Using 8 ethanol blend (2.7 oxygen) Missoula
  reduced carbon monoxide by 24.3 on average
  compared to 1990 data.

9
Air Quality and E-10

• Reduces emissions includeing fine particulate
  matter (PM 2.5), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon
  monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
  and air toxics especially in SUVs, RVs, light
  duty vehicles, and 2-stroke engines

10
Air Quality Concerns

• Snowmobile emissions in congested traffic areas
  caused air quality concerns
• Presidents Day Weekend 1999 yielded 8.9 PPM CO
  8-hr average at West Entrance YNP (over 900
  snowmobiles)
• In 2000, 3.5 PPM CO was highest 8-hour average
  for similar time and number of vehicles (ethanol
  blend, express lanes)

11
Air Quality and E-10

• Approved for summer use in Chicago and Milwaukee
  to reduce CO and haze with little or no impact to
  ozone

12
E-10 helps mental health

• Increases power and octane
• Is warranted by manufacturers and
• Is similar in cost to conventional fuel.

13
E-10 used voluntarily

• No carburetor freezing
• Significantly reduced maintenance and cold
  weather additives
• Detergent properties reduce buildup that promotes
  cleaner combustion

14
Ethanol Blend Fuels in the Yellowstone Region

• Every million gallons of 10 percent ethanol blend
  burned reduces potential emissions of carbon
  monoxide by 61 tons

15
SummaryEthanol blend fuel

• Reduces air emissions without adversely impacting
  water quality
• Summer use reduces emissions, but weather and
  location may impact effectiveness
• Helps reduce regional haze

16
Acknowledgements

• US DOE Regional Bioenergy Program
• EPA
• Montana Department of Environmental Quality