WRITTEN QUESTION E-3582/01

by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: MTBE

Can the Commission state what progress has been made on the risk reduction strategy for the petrol additive MTBE? What does the strategy consist of, and is MTBE to be banned?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2002)

The substance tert-butyl methyl ether (MTBE) is a high production volume chemical mainly used as a fuel additive in petrol. Other uses are in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and laboratories.

Within the framework of Council Regulation (EEC) 793/93 of 23 March 1993(1) on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances, MTBE was put on a priority list of chemicals for evaluation of the risks to man and the environment (cf. Commission Regulation (EC) No 143/97(2)).

Commission Recommendation 2001/838/EC of 7 November 2001(3) adopted at Community level the results of the risk evaluation and the risk reduction strategies for the substance MTBE.

The main concerns identified were:

- repeated dose local skin effects as a consequence of exposure arising from maintenance operations and automotive repair;

- the potability of drinking water in respect of taste and odour as a consequence of exposure arising from leaking underground storage tanks and spillage from overfilling of the storage tanks.

The recommended measures include:

- for workers: to investigate how to improve the design of fuel filter position in cars and fuel pumps so to facilitate maintenance and repair work while aiming at minimum skin exposure to petrol;

- for humans exposed via the environment: it is considered that measures, aiming at protection of groundwater will contribute to preventing the contamination of drinking water;

- for the environment: it is recommended that monitoring programmes be undertaken, where appropriate, in order to permit the early detection of groundwater contaminated by MTBE.

It is further recommended that the best available techniques be widely applied for the construction and operation of petrol underground storage and distribution facilities at service stations. In this regard Member States should consider mandatory requirements especially for all service stations in groundwater recharge areas. Furthermore, it is recommended that harmonised technical standards for the construction and operation of the storage tanks be developed at a European level by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). Potential past release sites, located on critical areas, should be investigated and, where necessary, remediated.

Furthermore, exchange of information on these programmes and their results should be promoted.

It is also recommended that MTBE containing bottom waters of above-ground storage tanks be controlled by plant permits(4) or national rules. To facilitate the permitting (as well as any fixing of national rules) these issues are included in the ongoing work to develop guidance on Best Available Techniques (BAT)(5). It is recommended that Member States carefully monitor the implementation of BAT in this respect and report any important developments in BAT to the Commission in the framework of the exchange of information on BAT.

On the basis of existing data and scientific knowledge, there are insufficient grounds to propose that MTBE be banned.

(1) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993.

(2) OJ L 25, 28.1.1997.

(3) OJ L 319, 4.12.2001.

(4) Plant permits issued under Council Directive 96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (OJ L 257, 10.10.1996) or under national legislation.

(5) Work currently underway at Community level in the framework of Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (OJ L 257, 10.10.1996) in developing BAT Reference Documents (BREFs) that cover MTBE production and handling, including design and management of storage modes.