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| Fuel Inspection |
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Uganda National Bureau of Standards started fuel inspection in January 2004 to monitor the quality of the fuel entering Uganda. At the beginning, UNBS was mainly looking at the quality of only one product – petrol to monitor the levels of lead.
Petroleum companies importing fuel into Uganda import PMS (Premium Motor Spirit), AGO (diesel), BIK (Kerosene) and other fuel products. But UNBS started fuel inspection by monitoring and checking the quality of Premium Motor Spirit for lead because of its adverse effects on the environment.
One of UNBS’s mandates is to ensure health and safety of the public and environment by monitoring the quality of goods consumed in the Country, petrol is therefore categorized among goods under that mandate.
Lead in form of Tetra-Ethyl Lead is an additive that is added to petrol during the process of refining to boost the engine performance and hence prevent the possibilities of engine knock. However, it is a chemical that is toxic to humans when inhaled or absorbed into the body and pollutes the environment and also detrimental to the motor vehicles if it surpasses certain levels or does not meet specifications.
Because of the foregoing newer models of motor vehicles, the recent ones manufactured are increasingly being made to use unleaded fuel so as to deal with dangerous emissions into the environment.
Before UNBS embarked on fuel inspection several companies were importing petrol with high lead levels but some have since been followed the international trend and are policing themselves to ensure that these levels are reduced.
It is expected that in the near future all petroleum companies will have to comply especially now given that government in collaboration with UNEP is considering phasing out leaded petrol altogether.
At the moment, UNBS is also involved in gathering data that will be used for phasing out of leaded petrol. Monitoring of leaded petrol involves visiting fuel depots of the various importers three to four times a week. Samples are collected from depots and tested. Therefore, the work of UNBS in this respect entails keeping a watch on the trends of the levels of lead in petrol entering the country. This information is shared with the Ministry of Energy and other relevant government bodies.
Leaded fuel has two effects on the society; one is that, it affects vehicle engines and the other is the environment. Regarding the effect on engines, those vehicles manufactured before 1987, are the stock that are running on leaded petrol, from 1987, vehicles have been manufactured which can run on unleaded petrol and they have catalytic converters. A vehicle running on petrol, which is not within the specifications, will suffer damage.
On the environmental perspective one has to remember that lead is a heavy metal and its present in the environment and is therefore a pollutant. It is absorbed by plants and contaminates what we eat. It is therefore desirable to do away with it.
World Bank and UNEP recommended that the global use of leaded petrol be phased out completely from petrol due to its adverse health-effects on children and adults as well.
MEMD has instituted a National Task force comprising UNBS and other stakeholders from both government and private sector to ensure that leaded petrol is phased out of petrol by February 2006.
For the case of Sulphur, international requirements are that Low Sulphur Diesel (ULD) be used in order to reduce on emissions and dangers resulting to its exposure. UNBS and MEMD intend to monitor all imports of diesel for sulphur levels to ensure that petroleum companies importing this product comply to international requirements
At the moment, UNBS and MEMD have collaborative arrangements and intend to construct a petroleum laboratory that is to be housed within UNBS. This will enable UNBS to virtually monitor all liquid petroleum products for quality and adultaretion.
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