FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT STANDARDS DIVISION
DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
NOTICE UNDER SECTION 17 OF THE FUEL QUALITY STANDARDS ACT 2000 CONCERNING A DECISION TO VARY AN APPROVAL GRANTED UNDER SECTION 13 OF THAT ACT
I, Matt Cahill, First Assistant Secretary, Environment Standards Division, delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Energy, provide the following information concerning my decision to vary an approval under section 13 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000.
Name of approval holder
ERC Racing Fuels Pty Ltd
Details of the variation
On 23 December 2015 an approval was granted to ERC Racing Fuels Pty Ltd to vary the Fuel Standard (Petrol) Determination 2001 to permit the supply of specialist leaded racing fuel as specified in the approval. Pursuant to section 17D of the Act, the period of operation of the approval has been extended until 30 June 2017.
Period of operation
The variation comes into force on the date of signing and remains in force until 30 June 2017.
Summary of reasons for the variation
Having consulted with the Fuel Standards Consultative Committee as required by section 17D(3) of the Act, I grant the variation as provided for in section 15 of the Act for the following reasons:
a) The protection of the environment
The Minister for the Environment and Energy is currently considering the future use of lead in racing fuel.
The fuel subject to this recommendation is supplied and used in small quantities for motor sport activities.
The consequences of even a small amount of MTBE contaminating water sources can be significant. It is a standard condition of section 13 approvals for fuel containing MTBE above the limit specified in the petrol standard that the fuel not be permitted in activities occurring on freshwater lakes and waterways.
The fuel is expensive compared with normal fuels and the price provides a disincentive for any waste, misuse or spillage.
With the exception of leaded racing fuel, which the Minister is currently considering phasing-out, it is not expected that permitting the supply of the fuels covered by this approval for motor sport activities will have an irreversible effect on the environment.
These considerations are not altered by a six month extension of the original approval.
b) The protection of occupational and public health and safety
Exposure to certain substances in petrol and vehicle exhaust can be toxic. The risks associated with exposure to racing fuels may be higher than for petrol because of the additional substances contained in them. A variety of negative health effects can occur, depending upon the substance, the level and duration of exposure. At venues that use racing fuels, exposure may extend to drivers, team members, race officials, spectators and the immediate environment.
In the particular case of leaded racing fuels, exposure to even small amounts of lead and lead compounds can have health effects when ingested or inhaled. All the lead in the fuel is emitted in the exhaust.
Specialist leaded and unleaded racing fuels are supplied in sealed containers of up to 200 litres capacity (except for use in pre-1986 built racing vehicles which may be dispensed from a bowser) and are used in small quantities, primarily in off-road activities, and in widely dispersed locations. Safe handling information will be provided with the fuel.
These considerations are not altered by a six month extension of the original approval.
c) The interests of consumers
Specialist leaded racing fuels meet the needs of a niche market for specific classes of motor racing. The consumers using these fuels seek the performance and operability characteristics provided by these fuels. Without them, motor sport competitors may not be able to operate their vehicles effectively with currently employed technology.
These considerations are not altered by a six month extension of the original approval.
d) The impact on economic and regional development
Many racing venues are located outside major population areas. Motor and water sport events provide an ongoing financial benefit to these regional communities. A decision to disallow the continued and controlled supply of specialist leaded racing fuels suddenly may have an adverse impact on national motor sport competitions and the economic benefits that flow from them.
These considerations are not altered by a six month extension of the original approval.
The variation is granted subject to the conditions specified in section 17 of the Act.
Matt Cahill
First Assistant Secretary, Environment Standards Division
19 December 2016