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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 5

Written Answers. - Unleaded Petrol.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

50 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment if he will provide comprehensive data on the benzene levels in Irish petrol as regulated by EU Directive 85/210/EEC in view of the fact that Irish petrol has been known to breach the EU limit of 5.0 per cent by volume and the World Health Organisation has stated that there are no safe levels of airborne benzene which is a known carcinogen. [2289/94]

Wexford): Analyses conducted regularly by the State Laboratory indicate an average benzene content of 3.4 per cent in 1993 for Irish unleaded petrol to which benzene is added, and an average of 3 per cent in 1994. These levels are well within the required standard of 5 per cent.

Only a single value exceeding 5 per cent has occurred in the context of Irish monitoring of this standard. This exceedance was a marginal one on which a prosecution could not reasonably have been based, but it has been pursued with the company concerned.

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