WASHINGTON (11/09/05) -- The U.S. EPA has amended the gasoline deposit control program, established in 1996, to ensure U.S. gasoline supplies contain detergent-like additives to reduce tailpipe emissions. The revisions include clarification of maximum concentration levels of fuel deposit control additives and changes to reporting requirements.

The Clean Air Act provides EPA with the authority to regulate fuels and fuel additives in order to reduce the risk to public health from exposure to their emissions.  The regulations at 40 CFR Part 79 require that each manufacturer or importer of gasoline, diesel fuel, or a fuel additive, have its product registered by EPA prior to its introduction into commerce.  Registration involves providing a chemical description of the product and certain technical, marketing and health-effects information.  This allows EPA to identify the likely combustion and evaporative emissions.  In certain cases, health-effects testing is required for a product to maintain its registration or before a new product can be registered.  EPA uses this information to identify products whose emissions may pose an unreasonable risk to public health, warranting further investigation and/or regulation.

A fact sheet and the final rule are available online.