New sulphur limits enter force in Europe

摘要

New limits on the sulphur content in fuel entered into force on 1-tofitfary 2009.In 1993,European limits for sulphur in petrol and diesel fuels were 500 mg/kg and 2,000 mg/kg respectively.By 1998 they had been lowered to 150 mg/kg and 350 mg/kg,respectively,and again in 2005 to 50 mg/kg for both fuels.In an effort to continually drive down the level of sulphur emissions,EC Directive 2003/17/EC stipulated that by 1 January 2005,petrol and diesel containing a maximum of 10 mg/kg of sulphur should be widely available on forecourts.The next stage of the Directive came into force on 1 January 2009,making this 10 mg/kg limit mandatory.