FACT SHEET: E10 & AIR QUALITY
- NOx reduced by up to 34%
- Particulate matter reduced by up to 95%
- Nanoparticles reduced by up to 96%
- Non-methane hydrocarbons reduced by up to 60%
- Benzene and butadiene reduced by around 25%
- Reduction in the cancer risk of a petrol blend by 6.6%
- Petrol blends lower NOx ten-fold compared to diesel
- Oxygen within ethanol leads to more efficient fuel burn
A recent study used by the EU Commission to evaluate the air quality impacts of biofuels showed NOx to be
reduced by 34% and non-methane hydrocarbons by 60% when moving from E5 to E10, with E85 offering even further improvements.
A study from the University of Melbourne showed that E10 resulted in 18% less NOx, 15% lower hydrocarbons and 26% lower particulates than standard unleaded petrol.
A study in Sao Paulo, which has 7m vehicles and the world’s largest gasoline/ethanol flexible-fuel fleet, showed that when motorists used higher levels of ethanol due to lower prices, emissions of dangerous lung-damaging particulates decreased. When ethanol prices increased and drivers used higher levels of gasoline instead, the concentration of nanoparticles increased by 30%. This is the only study to have been done in non-laboratory conditions and shows a clear correlation of ethanol lowering particulates.
A Swiss Federal Laboratories study showed that particulate matter emissions from E10 reduced by more than 95% compared to petrol, whilst another MIT study found that they were at least three times lower
The same Swiss study showed that E10 lowered dangerous PAH nanoparticles by up to 96%
The recent study used by the EU Commission to evaluate the air quality impacts of biofuels illustrated particulate matter to be reduced by around 7% when moving from E5 to E10.
Benzene and Butadiene emissions, both of which are highly carcinogenic, decrease by around 25% with higher levels of ethanol blending in fuel
The use of E10 is widely documented as achieving at least a 25% reduction in carbon monoxide emissions
Ethanol is not carcinogenic, whilst several chemicals contained within petrol are, so bioethanol blending helps to reduce the carcinogens within the fuel
A 5% increase in ethanol blending has shown to reduce the overall cancer risk of a petrol blend by 6.6%
Bioethanol is mixed with petrol only, which produces over ten times less NOx pollutants than diesel when tested in real-world conditions
The oxygen contained within ethanol helps the fuel to burn better and increases the efficiency of the engine, lowering the hydrocarbons that are released
In its recent report on Improving Air Quality, the DEFRA Select Committee stated that “the Government needs to develop more holistic policies that recognise CO2 reduction and air quality as inter-related issues requiring a joined-up response”
