# MTBE: Regulation

How a tiny leak can spoil a town's groundwater

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/regulation/

How a tiny leak can spoil a town's groundwater What this tab covers How it is regulated and what could disrupt supply: hazard classification, rules in the EU, US and India, anti-dumping duties and other trade measures, and supply-risk notes.

#### Hazards

| Classification | UN number | Key risks |
|---|---|---|
| Flammable liquid cat 2; skin irritation cat 2 | UN2398 | Highly flammable. Very soluble in water and slow to biodegrade, so leaks from fuel tanks contaminate groundwater with a taste and odour detectable at low ppb. |

#### Main rules

| Where | Rule | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| **US** | State bans from the early 2000s; use as oxygenate ended in 2006 | US demand moved to ethanol; producers export |
| **EU** | Fuel Quality Directive allows up to 22% ethers in petrol; RED favours ETBE from bio-ethanol | gradual shift to ETBE |
| **Japan** | Use in petrol ended 2001 | no domestic demand |

#### India

| Rule | Effect |
|---|---|
| **BIS IS 2796 petrol specification (oxygenate limits, indicative)** | caps ether content |
| **Ethanol Blended Petrol programme (E20 nationally from 2025)** | ethanol displaces part of MTBE's octane role |

#### Trade measures

- No major anti-dumping measures found
- EU CBAM does not cover MTBE (indicative)

#### Supply risk

Low to moderate: produced in many refineries; Gulf on-purpose supply is exposed to Hormuz.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/movement/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/mtbe/links/index.md)