AirBP notice on Cumene and fueling

I assume this will apply also outside the EU in GB. I buy avgas from an FBO supplied from the airport BP depot. Last year they filled 2 jerricans for me before closing for Xmass – New Year. This will affect me if there is good weather.

For practical purposes, this letter is of very little importance, it’s merely to ensure formal compliance with the legislation. In simple words, it means: “Avgas is toxic, be aware of it and don’t spill it on yourself. If you are too clumsy, ask an operator to fuel your aircraft instead. You’ve been warned and we disclaim responsibility.”

That could very well have a significant impact, if followed through…
The German (and possibly similar in other languages) version is commercial/business use = “gewerblich”.

Private GA would not qualify for self service, but require serviced fuelling. Less convenient and possibly plus a fee.

Since BP were also the guys that would not serve you without an Avgas sticker in the wing, i am not too optimistic regarding “no impact”

Email from AirBP today suggesting that self-service fuel may no longer be available to non-commercial customers. Not sure how this will be enforced.

Has Total said anything similar?

According to EU Regulation 1907/2006, applicable in the EU, it will become prohibited on 1 December 2023 to place on the market, and use, for supply to the general public, the following substance in concentrations of >0.1% in a mixture:

Substance: Cumene
Index No.: 601-024-00-X
EC No: 202-704-5
CAS No.: 98-82-8’

Cumene can typically be traced at low level concentrations in fuels.

Therefore, from this date the aviation fuel that we sell at self-serve locations may only be to professional users who:
- hold a pilot’s licence
- only fuel in a controlled airport environment
shall only use bp supplied aviation fuel for aircraft use only and for no other purpose
- have pilot training, knowledge and experience in fuelling aircraft
- are fully aware of the provisions of the Material Safety Data Sheet a copy of which can be found here)
- take all appropriate safety precautions when fuelling the aircraft
- ensure that the fuelling is made direct to the aircraft fuelling system only.

If you do not fulfil all of the above, then our recommendation is to be fuelled by a specialist operator with you not being physically involved with the aircraft refuelling process.

Indochine wrote:

Email from AirBP today suggesting that self-service fuel may no longer be available to non-commercial customers. Not sure how this will be enforced.

AirBP does mention “professional”, but that doesn’t mean the same as “commercial”. I don’t see that the conditions that AIrBP lists will make any practical difference – except for being “aware of the provisions” of the MSDS, but that’s trivial. Indeed I don’t see (apart from the MSDS thing) how these conditions will change how we have always refueled aircraft at self-service stations. Even if there was a difference, given that this concerns self-service, how can AirBP enforce it!?

I would guess this is something that AirBP writes to make lawyers happy and that it won’t make any difference in practice. Possibly holders of AirBP cards will have to certify that they will abide by these provisions.

Speaking for myself, I’m professional, and I’m a user. So I guess that makes me a professional user. A use of WHAT, isn’t terribly clear. There are lots of things I use.

As mentioned in the neighboring thread, the German version is less ambiguous and allows less self-interpretation. We’ll see…

ch.ess wrote:

The German (and possibly similar in other languages) version is commercial/business use = “gewerblich”.

The German version of what? The AirBP letter or EU regulation 1907/2006?

My club should have gotten this letter as well as we have several BP cards. I’ll see what it says.

The letter, of course.
It is to a large extent BP’s decision how to interpret, implement and comply with the EU regulation.