What do we actually refuel from a gas station dispenser? If you have ever asked yourself this question, you will only be able to get the answer thanks to the inspections carried out by the Commercial Inspectorate. In 2023, IH detected more violations than the previous year. How are inspections carried out and what awaits gas station owners who are arrested?
Drivers don’t stay
According to data published by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection In 2023, 1.7 percent of fuel samples taken from stations did not meet standards Provided by Polish regulations. In 2022, this percentage was 1.1%, so we are facing a deterioration in fuel quality. However, it should be noted that ten years ago, violations were detected in about 5%. He controls. This is a very important issue because long-term use of fuel with low parameters leads to premature wear of the engine and its accessories.
The quality control system is based on the work of commercial inspection inspectors. In 2023 for laboratory tests More than 1.5 thousand fuel samples were downloaded to the stations. – Entities that will be inspected in accordance with applicable regulations They are withdrawn or selected for inspection after obtaining information (eg from drivers) about incorrect quality of fuel Or the occurrence of conditions indicating the possibility of unsuitable quality of fuel – Maciej Chmielowski from the press office of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection told Autokult.pl.
You can find it on the website of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection Special shapewhich is possible Report any doubts related to fuel quality to this institution Sold at a specific station. As it turns out, this “market clearing” method is very popular.
The rest of the article is below the video
– In 2023, in the field of liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel), the Commercial Inspection inspected 1,133 gas stations (1,133 samples were taken) that were randomly selected for inspection, and 323 gas stations (418 samples were taken) that were selected for inspection. Inspection on the basis received a signal about the possibility of delivering fuel that does not meet the requirements – says Maciej Chmielowski. So it turns out As much as 27 percent were sampled from stations suspected of selling “baptized” fuel..
The penalties are severe
Businessmen caught selling fuel that does not meet legal requirements could face very serious consequences. The regulations state here Up to 3 years in prison or fine – From 50 to 500 thousand zlotys. If it is the result of unconscious action, the range is 25,000 to 250,000. Zloty. In less serious cases, it ranges from 10 to 25 thousand. Zloty.
but this is not all. If any violations are discovered, the district IH inspector reports the crime to the Prosecutor’s Office. The matter has been reported to the Office of Energy Regulation. The commercial inspection may decide to stop marketing the fuel or withdraw it from circulation.
The gas stations that will be subject to IH inspection are not informed in advance By this establishment about the next visit. However, if fuel deviation from standards is found, control is assured. Regulations require IH Re-examination of gas stations where incorrect samples were taken. Re-inspection often turns out to produce the same unfortunate results.
Better check the station
It is worth using Interactive map of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection And check the fuel test results. Drivers who fill up with gas at one or more stations out of habit, without checking the quality of the fuel sold there, risk a lot. Long-term use of fuel with inappropriate parameters leads to problems with the car. Diesel owners are most at risk. Inspection results published by the Competition and Consumer Bureau have shown for years that the most common violations relate to diesel oil. what would happen?
In the case of diesel fuel with insufficient oxidation stability The formation of sediments and carbon deposits increasesWhich may negatively affect the operation of the engine. In addition, it increases it Risk of corrosion of engine components. The ignition temperature of diesel fuel is very low Danger of oil vapor explosion When refueling, it is dangerous for the user. On the other hand, too high an ignition temperature may lead to reduced engine efficiency, which in turn translates into… Increase in fuel consumption. As a result, this may also contribute to increased emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
When it comes to gasoline, the octane number is low Promotes the occurrence of combustion knocks. This is a sharp increase in the combustion rate that can lead to serious damage to the engine, especially if it is not equipped with sensors that detect low octane values.
If we are convinced that bad fuel caused damage to our engine, we can attempt to recover the repair costs. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. It is important that you have a receiptWhich will confirm that fuel was purchased from a specific station. It may happen that station employees, after learning of the low quality of fuel sold, accept the complaint and deal with the matter discreetly.
However, if this does not happen, the case may become complicated because the injured party has the burden of proving guilt. Therefore, it is worth avoiding such problems by refueling only at proven stations.
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