We will be using our more than 3,700 service stations as points of contact to provide information about this vitally important issue. We constantly urge our customers to take care when handling gasoline during the use of our equipment. As part of this Alliance, we will be introducing a new spill proof gasoline container to the market later this year. Clearly, simple measures can have tremendous environmental benefits. Hydrocarbons combine with other pollutants in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone, also known as smog.
Hydrocarbons also contain harmful compounds such as benzene, a known toxin.
Estimates show there are approximately 78 million gasoline cans in the United States that release over 300,000 tons of hydrocarbons emissions each year. The California Air Resources Board is holding a public hearing in September to consider regulations requiring spill proof gasoline cans. Gasoline vapors contribute to the formation of smog and low-level ozone, and if prolonged exposure occurs, serious health problems are possible. One-third of all emissions from small gasoline engines are either from gasoline spillage by the operator, or evaporation from the gasoline container or equipment. Improperly stored gasoline can cause an explosion, and if anything other than an approved gasoline container is used to store the gasoline, leakage is also possible.