ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION BRANCH,

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

NOTICE UNDER SECTION 17A OF THE FUEL QUALITY STANDARDS ACT 2000 CONCERNING A DECISION UNDER SECTION 13 OF THAT ACT FOR AN APPROVAL FOR A VARIATION OF THE FUEL STANDARD (PETROL) DETERMINATION 2001

I, Andrew McNee, Assistant Secretary, Environment Protection Branch, delegate of the Minister for the Environment, provide the following information concerning my decision to grant an approval under section 13 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 (the Act).

Name of approval holder

VP Racing Fuels Pty Ltd (approval holder).

Period of operation

The period of operation of the approval is from the date of the approval until 31 December 2014.

Details of the approval

The approval varies the fuel standard for petrol set out in the Fuel Standard (Petrol) Determination 2001 (the Petrol Determination) so that specialist leaded racing fuel containing any of the following parameters:

14.57 per cent m/m in petrol containing ethanol

will be taken to comply with the lead, MTBE, olefin, oxygen and sulfur parameters specified in the Petrol Determination in respect of the supply of the fuel for use in legitimate motor sport activities.

The approval applies to fuel supplied by the above company and the regulated persons specified in Annexure 1 of the approval instrument.

The approval is subject to conditions set out in Annexure 2 to the approval instruments and in section 17 of the Act.

Summary of reasons for the approval

I grant the approval as provided for in section 15 of the Act for the following reasons: 

The fuel subject to this recommendation is supplied and used in small quantities for motor sport activities. In this context, higher levels of MTBE and oxygen are not expected to impact significantly on ambient air quality. It is uncertain to what extent lead in the fuel may affect the environment.

The consequences of even a small amount of MTBE contaminating water sources can be significant. It is a standard condition of section 13 approvals for fuel containing MTBE above the limit specified in the Petrol Determination that the fuel not be permitted in activities occurring on fresh water lakes and waterways.

The fuel is expensive compared with normal fuels and the price provides a disincentive for any waste, misuse or spillage.

It is therefore not expected that permitting the supply of the fuels covered by this approval for motor sport activities will have an irreversible effect on the environment.

Exposure to certain substances in petrol can be toxic. The risks associated with exposure to racing fuels may be higher than for petrol because of the additional substances contained in them. A variety of negative health effects can occur, depending upon the substance, the level and duration of exposure. At venues that use racing fuels, exposure may extend to drivers, team members, race officials, spectators and the immediate environment.

In the particular case of leaded racing fuels, exposure to even small amounts of lead and lead compounds can have health effects when ingested or inhaled.

Specialist leaded and unleaded racing fuels are supplied in sealed containers of up to 200 litres capacity (except for use in pre-1986 built racing vehicles which may be dispensed from a bowser) and are used in small quantities, primarily in off-road activities, and in widely dispersed locations. Safe handling information will be provided with the fuel. The volume of fuel to be supplied under an approval is limited and will be used by a small number of competitors. Under these conditions, occupational and public health and safety risks resulting from short-term/intermittent use of these fuels will be minimised.

Specialist leaded and unleaded racing fuels meet the needs of a niche market for specific classes of motor racing. The consumers using these fuels seek the performance and operability characteristics provided by these fuels. Without them, motor sport competitors may not be able to operate their vehicles effectively with currently employed technology.

Many racing venues are located outside major population areas. Motor and water sport events provide an ongoing financial benefit to these regional communities. A decision to disallow the continued and controlled supply of specialist leaded racing fuels suddenly may have an adverse impact on national motor sport competitions and the economic benefits that flow from them.


Andrew McNee
Assistant Secretary

November 2013