Will Nevada open the door to toxic MMT in its gasoline tomorrow?

On June 30, the Nevada Legislative Commission's Subcommittee for Regulations Review will meet to consider a proposed repeal of the state's prohibition on the use of manganese and manganese-based additives in gasoline sold in the state (NV State Board of Agriculture, LCB File No R111-08). 

Usually, I don't get involved in Nevada issues, generally adhering to my own version of "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" mantra often heard there.

But this proposal is part of a push to open the door to MMT, a harmful toxic gasoline additive, in Nevada.  And, this push is part of a broader effort to introduce MMT into gasoline more broadly in the U.S. and in developing countries around the world. 

Ever since lead was removed from gasoline, many have sought ways to increase gasoline octane.  In most cases, oxygenates and other blending components have been added to gasoline at the refinery level. 

But some companies have developed manganese-based additives like MMT to replace lead’s octane enhancement.  Unfortunately, replacing one metal-based additive for another has environmental and health considerations that must be considered before allowing their use. 

When burned in an internal combustion engine, manganese is transformed into manganese oxide particles.  When inhaled, these particles lodge deep within our lungs, where they merge directly into the bloodstream.  Once in the bloodstream, these toxic particles can travel unfettered to the brain, where they have the potential to accumulate to unhealthy levels. Over the long-term, neurological damage can result, with symptoms that are similar to Parkinson’s disease.  

For that reason, in the Declaration of Brescia on Prevention of the Neurotoxicity of Metals in 2006, an international group of public health experts called for a ban on the use of manganese or manganese-based additives.  Similar statements have been made by the American Academy of Pediatricians (2003) and the International Commission on Occupational Health (2006).

With prolonged use of gasoline with MMT, these particles cause plugging and failure of catalytic converters, which have been used on vehicles for decades to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen. 

These carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxides emissions have been linked to a wide range of health impacts, including increased asthma emergencies, heart attacks, cancer, and other heart and lung disease.  Thus, our air quality concerns about MMT include the increased pollution that would result from damaged or destroyed catalytic converters.

Here's the bottom line, which I hope Nevada's legislators will consider before acting:

All across the nation this afternoon, almost two hundred million cars will carry workers home from their jobs, pick up children from school, and carry goods to customers.  None of those vehicles will require gasoline that has MMT or any other manganese-based additive to operate efficiently or reliably.  Few, if any, will actually use gasoline that does contain MMT or any other manganese-based additive, thanks to a longstanding agreement among the large oil companies to refrain from using these additives to avoid the environmental and public health risks that I have outlined in this post, and to avoid the damage to catalytic converters that can result from gasoline that contains MMT or other manganese-based additives.  

Instead, these vehicles will use gasoline that meets their octane needs, and they will have no risk of damaged or destroyed catalytic converters.

In sum, Nevada does not need to introduce manganese to the gasoline – or air – of Nevada to meet the needs of its driving public. 

We hope the Nevada Legislative Commission acts to keep manganese out of Nevada’s gasoline, and stops the move to repeal the prohibition of manganese-based gasoline additives in the state before it goes any further. 

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