EU MMT ban sticks, but door is left open

The European Court of Justice has upheld an earlier EU decision to restrict the use of fuel additive MMT across Europe.

The court ruled that the law, introduced in 2009 was legal.  The original law was brought in, after significant lobbying within the EU Commission, based on potential damage to human health and possible damage to car engines.  The law states that MMT in fuel will be limited to 6 milligrams of manganese per litre from 2011, falling to 2mg per litre from 2014.

Afton Chemical, the only comany to sell MMT in Europe, claims that the law is ostensibly a ban on the use of the additive.  Although it was disappointed in the latest ruling, a statement from the company also saw some light from the judgement with an number of sentences in the judgement apparently leaving the door open for further scientific research and appeal.