One in ten using "red diesel" 05/11/2007 00:00

5 November 2007

BRUSSELS - Almost one in ten motorists with diesel engine vehicles are using diesel intended for agricultural vehicles or household heating purposes.

According to the Belgian Customs and Excise, there has been a big increase in the number of drivers caught using so-called "red diesel".

In 2006 just 1.3% of motorists tested were found to be using red diesel.

The figures for the first nine months of this year show that this has risen to 9.7%.

However, the Customs stress that the massive rise is for the most part due to better detection methods and that motorists are not switching to red diesel en masse now that the price of standard diesel has reach record levels.

What is red diesel? The petroleum industry puts red dye into some of its diesel in order to distinguish between heating fuel, diesel for agricultural use and standard diesel that is subject to normal rates of fuel excise duty.

However, a method of removing the dye has now being developed.

Consequently, the Customs don't just test for traces of red dye anymore, but also for traces of the substance used to remove red dye from diesel.

[Copyright Flanders news 2007]

Subject: Belgian news