Over 75% of petrol at non-chain filling stations is counterfeit fuel, says survey
Kyiv, November 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Over 75% of the petrol sold at filling stations that are not part of certain filling station chains, is counterfeit fuel containing spirit, according to a research of fuel quality conducted in October by the AutoVisio social movement with support of Kyiv-based A-95 consulting company.
"Around 75% of the petrol checked showed an increased content of spirits, and in some regions the indicator reached 90%. While earlier it was considered that 'the spirit trail' was seen only for cheap petrol, now there is evidence of a mass lack of correspondence in spirit content for Euro A-95 petrol. Buying the most expensive petrol at independent filling stations, it's likely that consumers are buying a spirit mixture," the head of the AutoVisio, Vitaliy Chekhovsky, said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.
Tests of A-95 petrol selected by AutoVisio in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, Crimea and Kyiv city, were conducted in a certified laboratory. Experts registered record irregularities during the analysis of some samples – the exceeding of the standards for benzene content by almost 11 times, and sulphur content – by almost 80 times. Chekhovsky said that one Kharkiv company sold petrol containing 60% spirit.
"If earlier mainly benzene was used in the production of counterfeit fuel, now we see a trend towards spirit. Along with ethanol, methanol is used, and this is a poison… It's obvious that the pace of the usage of spirits in counterfeit fuel will grow," the director of A-95 company, Serhiy Kuyun, said.
He said that along with breakdowns of vehicles and worsening of health of the public, the usage of counterfeit fuel entailed large losses for the national budget.
"A comparison of official data on the replenishment of the market and consumption shows that at least 20% of the petrol market is in the shadows. The more obvious fact is that the state needs the removal of this growing practice most of all: losses from the non-payment of excise duties and value added tax in the present situation will total over UAH 3 billion per year," he said.
The experts called on the state to resume systematic checks on the quality of fuel at filling stations as soon as possible.