Tests on Euro-4 gasoline distributed in Tehran have shown significantly high amounts of sulfur, CEO of Tehran Air Quality Control Company said.
“However, octane ratings were within the limits,” Vahid Hosseini added, noting that an octane rating of 91 means the gasoline is clean, which helps reduce pollution and extend the longevity of vehicles.
As reported by IRNA, the latest round of quality control tests on diesel and gasoline fuels distributed in the Iranian capital during March 21-September 22 shows the amount of sulfur found in the Euro-4 gasoline to be twice the acceptable limit of 50 ppm.
This is while environmental officials, namely the head of the Department of Environment, Massomeh Ebtekar, have consistently attributed the rising incidence of cleaner days in metropolises grappling with air pollution, such as Tehran, Isfahan and Karaj, to the distribution of Euro-4 gasoline.
“The main cause of air pollution in major cities is dust storms now,” she claimed earlier this year during a trip to Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province.
Euro-4 gasoline is currently being distributed in eight metropolises, including Shiraz, Mashhad, Qom and Tabriz.
Around 80,000 people die prematurely every year in Iran, accounting for 21% of all deaths, according to a World Health Organization report. Official statistics indicate that more than 4,400 people die annually in Tehran alone, meaning one person dies every two hours in the Iranian capital due to high pollution levels.
