Exposure to MTBE can occur when people fill gas cans or automobiles with gasoline. You should avoid breathing gasoline vapors while refueling. We suggest you store gasoline in a tightly sealed container, and place the container away from your home in a locked storage shed so vapors cannot enter your home. People can also be exposed to MTBE when they breathe engine exhaust. When drinking water is contaminated, people can inhale MTBE as they bathe or do laundry.
Skin contact is most likely to happen as people fill their tanks with gasoline.
As you refuel engines, avoid spilling gasoline on your clothing or skin. No standards exist for the amount of MTBE released by cars or allowed in the air of homes. We use a formula to convert workplace limits to suggested home limits. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulates the amount of MTBE that can be released by industries. If levels of MTBE are very high in your water, you may need to avoid washing, bathing or using the water for other purposes.