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Fuel quality inspection
2011: Selling of fuel under the inspection of the CTIA and the public (Final Report)(Prague, January 25, 2012) At the start of the year 2011, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority promised to increase the number of fuel controls and to provide more detailed information in the respective field. The objective was both to increase the protection of consumers as well as fair entrepreneurs and companies and both to use new inspection mechanisms to increase discipline of entrepreneurs in the fuel market. Regarding the information about controls’ unsatisfactory results, as from April 20 the CTIA has published legitimate decisions about detected defects and amounts of sanctions on its website. The CTIA headquarters also kept its promise to increase the number of taken fuel samples in the rate of at least 20%. Totally 2,303 fuel samples were taken – which is 437 more (23.4%) than in 2010. Also a mobile laboratory joined the inspection activities and examined 113 samples. On the grounds of its 11 findings, selling of 102 poor quality fuel samples was banned at the spot. During 2011, totally 102 nonconforming fuel samples were found, i.e. 4.4% of all the checked fuel samples. “The complex of the actions taken has brought its positive results as the rate of nonconforming fuel samples decreased in terms of 3.5% when compared with the previous year 2010,” said Jan Štěpánek, the Director General of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.CTIA: In December, motor oil was of the year's poorest quality (observing and monitoring of fuel quality - December 2011) (Prague, January 13, 2012) Evaluation of results of fuel controls carried out by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority in the last month of 2011 showed that inspectors found the highest number of noncomplying motor oil samples when compared to the rest of the year. 9 of 76 taken samples failed appropriate standards’ requirements in one or two criteria; in 4 cases, the breaches were very serious, thus there was a suspicion of illegal manipulation with fuel. The number of noncomplying motor oil samples caused increase of the total average of poor quality fuel in December – it increased up to 7.4% in comparison with November (the increase was more than 3%). In motor petrol, only one of 70 taken samples failed.CTIA: Number of significant findings in fuels increased in November (Interim report - November 2011) (Prague, December 22, 2011) In November, the CTIA inspectors took 239 fuel samples at filling stations on the whole territory of the Czech Republic. 11 samples, i.e. 4.6%, failed the quality standards’ requirements. Laboratory analysis showed deviations in quality in 3 motor petrol samples, 7 motor oil samples and 1 mixed motor fuel sample. Four samples were examined in a mobile laboratory and after poor quality was detected in 1 sample, selling of motor petrol was banned until remedy. In comparison with the previous month, the quality of motor petrol, motor oil and mixed fuel decreased. There is a suspicion of intended manipulation with fuel in totally 6 samples, i.e. in 3 motor petrol and 3 motor oil samples. The CTIA will keep on checking fuel quality till the end of the year. Results of controls of fuel quality in October 2011 (Prague, November 16, 2011) Only 1 inconvenient motor petrol sample and 6 inconvenient motor oil samples were found within the controls of fuel quality on the territory of the Czech Republic in October. Samples of other fuels showed no defects. Totally 7 of 213 taken and examined fuel samples failed, i.e. 3.3%. Out of the total number of the taken samples, 5 samples were examined in a mobile laboratory and all of these met requirements of particular quality standards. CTIA: Fuel quality improved in August (Interim report on fuel quality results in August 2011) (Prague, September 13, 2011) In August, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority kept on monitoring fuel quality on the whole territory of the Czech Republic as scheduled. Out of the total number of 200 fuel samples taken and examined in August 2011, 5 samples (i.e. 2.5%) failed the quality standards’ requirements. 16 samples were examined in a mobile laboratory and on the grounds of a finding, immediate ban on sale of motor oil was issued at the spot until remedy. Quality noncompliant with appropriate standards was detected in three motor oil samples and two mixed fuel samples; quality of motor petrol and other examined fuels showed no defects. August brought a lower number of pure quality fuel samples in comparison with July. August also brought the best interim results of 2011. Observing and monitoring of fuel quality (partial report of July 2011)(Prague, August 29, 2011) In July, CTIA inspectors took totally 171 fuel samples at filling stations on the territory of the Czech Republic. 6 of these samples failed quality requirements, i.e. 3.5%. Quality of motor petrol worsened when compared to June 2011; it declined down to 4.1% which is the worst result of the year. On the other hand, number of nonconforming motor oil samples lowered to 2.7% which - on the contrary - is the best result this year. Results according to fuel types are shown in the attachment that also includes the detected nonconforming criteria. Mobile laboratory was used to examine 21 of the 171 taken fuel samples. Sale of motor oil was banned until remedy at one filling station. Observing and monitoring of fuel quality (continuous report - first half-year 2011)(Prague, August 11, 2011) During the first half of 2011, CTIA inspectors took totally 1,143 fuel samples at filling stations on the territory of the Czech Republic. 49 samples, i.e. 4.3%, failed requirements of appropriate standards. Mobile laboratory was used to take 52 samples. In the same period last year, 66 out of 916 samples failed the quality standards, i.e. 7.2%. Observing and monitoring of fuel quality (May 2011) (Prague, June 17, 2011) In May, CTIA inspectors took 221 fuel samples at filling stations on the territory of the Czech Republic. 10 samples, i.e. 4,5%, failed requirements of appropriate standards. Out of the total number of samples, 20 were examined in a mobile laboratory. On the grounds of its analysis, ban on sale of motor oil and motor petrol was issued until remedy at one filling station. Press release of the Ministry of Industry and Trade: Results of filling stations tests freely available on the CTI webpage(Prague, January 11, 2011) A list of filling stations that are selling poor quality fuel according to tests by the Czech Trade Inspection is now available at www.coi.cz. (Prague, January 11, 2011) The Czech Trade Inspection respects the public’s right to information, especially the right to information concerning protection of property, health or environment, but it does not want to become any initiator of witch-hunting. This is why many negotiations were held before concrete filling stations’ names were published; these negotiations resulted in the free access to the list of filling stations where unsatisfactory samples of fuel were collected in 2010 and also the list of subjects lawfully fined for not having met quality requirements. The list will be regularly updated. During the month of March, the monitored fuel quality proved to be good. All collected samples of vehicle gasoline and LPG fuel, met the necessary requirements. Fuel quality monitoring activities performed in January 2009 In January 2009, the quality of the inspected fuels significantly improved for all types of fuels when compared with results obtained from last January, as well as with results obtained during the entire year 2008. From all 123 collected and inspected diesel fuels, only 6 samples did not comply with applicable norms and the variations were only in the flashpoint value.Fuel quality monitoring results obtained during 2008 The overall fuel quality level sold in the |