NEW ALLIANCE LAUNCHES CONSUMER "GAS CARE" CAMPAIGN

TO PREVENT SMALL GASOLINE SPILLS

Americans Spill the Equivalent of an Oil Supertanker Each Year

Washington, D.C. (July 27, 1999) — A new public-private alliance today announced a public awareness campaign to inform consumers and small businesses about the proper handling of gasoline in efforts to promote improved environmental, health and safety. The Gas Care campaign announced by The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling, a consortium of public-private sector partners, was created to help reduce the significant environmental harm caused by the millions of small accidental gasoline spills that occur each year. According to the United States Geologic Society (USGS), over 40 million Americans use well water that contains traces of at least one of the harmful chemicals found in gasoline.

Members of The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling include: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Sunoco, Inc.; Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM); Husqvarna Forest & Garden Company; American Methanol Foundation; California Air Resources Board; Lyondell Chemical; Oxygenated Fuels Association; and BP Amoco.

Spilled gasoline impacts the environment through evaporation into the air, diffusion into the soil and releases into groundwater. Each year, Americans spill over 9 million gallons of gasoline -- the equivalent of an oil supertanker. The environmental impacts of improper handling, storage and disposal of gasoline largely stem from sloppy filling of small engines, using inappropriate containers, overfilling motor equipment engines, storing gasoline in open containers, and disposing of excess gasoline improperly. The Gas Care program is designed to inform consumers about proper fuel handling in order to reduce environmental impacts.

Findings released today from a national panel initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency outline the environmental impacts of gasoline and gasoline additives. The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling is calling on Americans to become involved with efforts to prevent accidental spills.

Bob Perciasepe, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation stated, "We applaud The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling for creating awareness about the potential impacts of accidental small spills and mishandling. Government and business have made significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of gasoline through efforts such as replacing or upgrading leaking underground gasoline storage tanks, placement of vapor recovery nozzles on gas pumps and requiring evaporation control systems on cars and trucks. This call for consumer care will enlist the general public as our first line of defense to prevent the substantial harm from spills caused by improper filling, storing, pouring and disposing of gasoline."

Jason Grumet, Executive Director of NESCAUM (Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management) stated, "The Alliance's mission is to empower the general public to work with government and industry in protecting the environment from gasoline contamination. The federal government and industry must act to improve the quality of gasoline, states must continue aggressive efforts to upgrade gasoline storage tanks to eliminate leaks, and we all must act to use gasoline prudently in order to obtain the clean water and clean air that we deserve."

The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling recommends the following consumer tips:

• Use only approved gasoline storage containers with a proper spout for pouring.
• Store gasoline in a proper container with a closed cap.
• When fueling power mowers, boats, and all other recreational equipment always use a funnel and/or spout to prevent spilling or splashing.
• Do not dispose of gasoline down the drain, into surface water, onto the ground, or in the trash.
• If a spill occurs use kitty litter, saw dust or an absorbent towel to soak up the spill, and dispose of it properly.
• Whenever possible, fill your small engine on a concrete or hard surface.
• Buy and use fuel in the season purchased.

Bob Campbell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sunoco, Inc. said, "Gasoline is the lifeblood of this nation's economy, but it must be used with care. The biggest problem we face with consumer gasoline spills is the overall lack of understanding of prevention steps each of us can take. We will be using our more than 3,700 service stations as points of contact to provide information about this vitally important issue."

David Zerfoss, President, Husqvarna Forest & Garden Company, said, "We take great pride in being a part of this Alliance because it relates so closely to the core beliefs of this company. We constantly urge our customers to take care when handling gasoline during the use of our equipment. As part of this Alliance, we will be introducing a new spill proof gasoline container to the market later this year."

Mike Kenny, Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board stated, "A typical gas can emits twice the amount of hydrocarbons as a new car each year. This is largely because 50% of the population leaves the cap off their gas can year round. Clearly, simple measures can have tremendous environmental benefits." Hydrocarbons combine with other pollutants in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone, also known as smog. Hydrocarbons also contain harmful compounds such as benzene, a known toxin. Estimates show there are approximately 78 million gasoline cans in the United

States that release over 300,000 tons of hydrocarbons emissions each year. The California Air Resources Board is holding a public hearing in September to consider regulations requiring spill proof gasoline cans.

Among the impacts of improperly poured and stored gasoline are the following:

• Even a small amount of spilled gasoline can potentially contaminate soils and wells at a distance of over a quarter mile from the spill site.
• Gasoline vapors contribute to the formation of smog and low-level ozone, and if prolonged exposure occurs, serious health problems are possible.
• One-third of all emissions from small gasoline engines are either from gasoline spillage by the operator, or evaporation from the gasoline container or equipment.
• Improperly stored gasoline can cause an explosion, and if anything other than an approved gasoline container is used to store the gasoline, leakage is also possible.

Raymond Brasser, BP Amoco Senior Vice President, said, "The petroleum industry has done much to improve the manufacturing, transporting and dispensing of gasoline. Educating our customers about safe handling practices is one more way to help protect our air, soil and water resources. As we at BP Amoco do everything we can to minimize our impact on the environment, we actively encourage the public to do the same."

The full list of consumer tips, as well as additional information of the proper handling and storage of gasoline, is available at The Alliance For Proper Gasoline Handling web site: www.gas-care.org which also provides additional outlets of resource information for consumers.

Contact: Cindy Drucker, (617) 443-1321 Greg Kelley, (617) 443-1341 Main Number (617) 443-1300

The Alliance for Proper Gasoline Handling 129 Portland St., 5th Floor Boston, MA 02114

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