aFewSteps.org
  • About Us
  • Our Initiatives
    • Green Energy >
      • how to switch to green energy
    • Shade Trees
    • Waste Free Parties >
      • Dinner & BBQ
      • Block Parties
    • Walking School Buses
  • Green Tips of the Week
  • Recycling
  • Workshops
  • Contact Us

Don’t top off your car’s gas tank.  It can damage your car and the environment.

2/10/2023

 
Picture
That little bit of extra gasoline that you try to squeeze into your tank when you top it off is more likely escaping into the environment or causing damage to your car rather than giving you that extra bit of fuel.  According to the EPA, when you top off the tank, “gasoline is probably being sucked back into the gas station’s vapor recovery system or evaporating into the air, causing air pollution.”*  Although you may intend to further fill the tank, “if you continue clicking on the nozzle, that extra gasoline will either be sucked into the vapor recovery tube or overflow.”*

Topping off can also cause harm to the charcoal canister of the onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) system in your car.  Consumer Reports points out that “adding more fuel after the gas pump clicks off can damage the charcoal canister by saturating it with fuel and cause the check engine light to illuminate. If the ORVR is damaged, it won’t adequately capture those harmful vapors.”**

*EPA, June 26, 2004, “Don’t Top off Your Gas Tank -- Save Money at the Gas Pump and Help Protect the Environment”,
https://www.epa.gov/archive/epapages/newsroom_archive/newsreleases/714cf2672631269e852570d60070fe91.htmlwww.epa.gov

**Devin Pratt, November 13, 2021, “Should You Top Off Your Car’s Gas Tank?,” Consumer Reports.org https://www.consumerreports.org/car-maintenance/should-you-top-off-your-cars-gas-tank-a1176503026/

Photo by Mike Mozart, Flickr Commons


Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All
    Chemicals And Plastics
    Electricity
    Environmental Impacts
    Food
    Gasoline
    Health
    Heating Fuel
    Home Energy
    Lawn And Garden
    Outdoors
    Recycle
    Reduce Waste
    Reuse
    Toxins
    Transportation
    Waste And Recycling
    Water

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

Donate
​About Us
Our Initiatives
Green Tips
Recycling
Workshops
Contact Us
​Mailing Address:
info@aFewSteps.org
P.O.Box 330
Wallingford PA 19086-0330
©2022 aFewSteps.org  |  All Rights Reserved.