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Are E-85 Pumps Safe?

From: The Environment Report
Length: 00:03:59

Ethanol Pumps have not yet been approved by UL Read the full description.
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Are E-85 Pumps Safe?
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The Environment Report

Ethanol2_small The E-85 (ethanol fuel) pumps at your local gasoline station have not been certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories. UL indicates the fuel can be corrosive to many of the gaskets and seals that are used in pumps for gasoline. UL is concerned the fuel could leak, leading to fires or explosions. Additionally, some underground storage tanks can be damaged by the ethanol fuel.

Are E-85 Pumps Safe? | 00:03:59

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Piece Description

The E-85 (ethanol fuel) pumps at your local gasoline station have not been certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories. UL indicates the fuel can be corrosive to many of the gaskets and seals that are used in pumps for gasoline. UL is concerned the fuel could leak, leading to fires or explosions. Additionally, some underground storage tanks can be damaged by the ethanol fuel.

Broadcast History

First offered to The Environment Report member stations on September 17, 2007.

Transcript

E-85 PUMPS NOT UL SAFE
Lester Graham

With thousands of flex-fuel vehicles hitting the road, gas stations are adding E-85 to their fuels. E-85 is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. But, as Lester Graham reports, storing and pumping E-85 fuel is a major concern because, so far, no equipment has been certified as safe to handle it:

The Department of Energy's Handbook for Handling, Storing, and Dispensing E-85 warns, "certain materials commonly used with gasoline are totally incompatible with alcohols." Other government guidelines give detailed instructions about storing E-85 in underground storage tanks and the pumps people use to fill their vehicles. But, with more and more filling stations adding E-85 pumps, not everyone is following the instructions and warnings.

Brad Hoffman is with the nation's largest underground storage tank service company, Tanknology. The company...
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Timing and Cues

With thousands of flex-fuel vehicles hitting the road, gas stations are adding E-85 to their fuels. E-85 is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. But, as Lester Graham reports, storing and pumping E-85 fuel is a major concern because, so far, no equipment has been certified as safe to handle it:

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