Don’t Top Off Your Tank
I just witnessed a woman obsessively clicking a gas pump trying to get every last drop in her massive Lincoln Town Car. As if driving that tank around isn’t bad enough, her 6-10 clicks to try to top off the tank are bad for the environment.
The EPA says this of topping off:
Topping off the gas tank can result in your paying for gasoline that is fed back into the station’s tanks because your gas tank is full. The gas nozzle automatically clicks off when your gas tank is full. In areas of ozone nonattainment, gas station pumps are equipped with vapor recovery systems that feed back gas vapors into their tanks to prevent vapors from escaping into the air and contributing to air pollution. Any additional gas you try to pump into your tank may be drawn into the vapor line and fed back into the station’s storage tanks.
In addition to not topping off your tank, you should avoid filling up in the afternoon. From the U.S. Department of Transportation:
In hot weather, gasoline vapors escape during refueling and, mixed with sunshine and heat, create ozone, an air pollutant that can be harmful to our lungs. By refueling your car’s gas tank during cooler periods of the day and in the evening, you can help to reduce this air pollution. Also when you gas up, don’t top off the tank. It’s safer and helps keep the air clean.
Resources:
> EPA
> St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership
> U.S. Department of Transportation
Of course, alternatives exist. Walking, bicycling, taking mass transit or ride sharing are all options to help our air quality.
– Steve