U.S. moves to lower tailpipe pollution (Reuters) {alert: BENZENE}

By Reuters
Published: February 9, 2007, 3:07 PM PST

U.S. environmental regulators issued new standards on Friday to reduce the amount of cancer-causing emissions from gasoline, vehicles operating in cold weather and portable gas cans.

The regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency lower benzene in gasoline, reduce exhaust emissions from cars in cold temperatures and tighten fuel containers to prevent the escape of harmful fumes.

The new standards take effect in 2011 for gasoline, 2010 for cars and 2009 for fuel cans.

Benzene, which has been found to cause cancer, is put in gasoline to reduce knocking.

When the new standards are fully implemented in 2030, they are expected to cut toxic emissions annually by 330,000 tons, including 61,000 tons of benzene, the EPA said.
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more: http://news.com.com/U.S.+moves+to+lower+tailpipe+pollution/2100-11389_3-6158131.html

Holy crap ... it's LEGAL to put benzene in gasoline AT ALL?? There are any number of alternative anti-knock agents, including ethanol!

"As a petrol additive, benzene increases the octane rating and reduces knocking. Consequently, petrol often contained several percent benzene before the 1950s, when tetraethyl lead replaced it as the most widely-used antiknock additive. With the global phaseout of leaded petrol, benzene has made a comeback as a gasoline additive in some nations. In the United States, concern over its negative health effects and the possibility of benzene entering the groundwater have led to stringent regulation of petrol's benzene content, with limits typically around 1%. European petrol specifications now contain the same 1% limit on benzene content." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene