Minnesota Biodiesel Council offers free biodiesel pump labels

 

Beginning December 16, 2008 a new federal law requires that biodiesel blends over 5 percent be labeled at the pump.  This labeling is required as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.  The purpose is to inform consumers of the biomass-based or biodiesel content of a biodiesel blend of fuel that is offered for sale.  Biomass-based and biodiesel fuels will be differentiated by the color of the label.  Biomass based labels will be orange with black lettering and biodiesel labels are blue with black lettering.  Biomass-based fuels cover a broad category of fuels, while biodiesel is a specific fuel with an ASTM standard.  From this point forward we will just address the biodiesel pump labels.

 

The law covers three categories of biodiesel blends.  Blends of 5 percent biodiesel and less are not required to be labeled since they meet all the same ASTM D975 specifications as petroleum diesel.  Biodiesel blends of 6 to 20 percent are to be labeled that the fuel contains more than 5% biodiesel but no more than 20%.  The exact amount of biodiesel content in this range does not have to be specified.  Biodiesel blends greater than 20% need to be labeled with the specific blend of the fuel.  For example, a biodiesel blend of 50% at the pump will need to be labeled as a B50 blend.  To read the law, published by the FTC and a summary written by the National Biodiesel Board, go to www.biodiesel.org 

 

So that retailers can comply with the law, labels may be ordered from the following organizations:

 

1) The AllThingsBiodiesel.com website hosted by the National Biodiesel Board. NBB offers two labels, the B20 label (which is required for fuel concentrations between 5 percent and 20 percent) and a B100 label.  NBB has priced these labels at $1 each.

 

2) Labels are also available by calling Dave Huffman 1(617) 923-5022 at the New England Fuel Institute or online at http://www.biodieselpumplabels.com   NEFI offers also offers the B20 and B100 biodiesel labels but also offers labels for B5, B10 and B15.  NEFI also offers the Biomass-based fuel labels.  The price of these labels is $2.50 each.

 

However, as a service to the petroleum marketers of Minnesota, the Minnesota Biodiesel Council is offering the B20 and B100 labels FREE of charge to those retailers that contact them at 507-388-1635 or by email at biodiesel@mnsoybean.com.  This is a limited supply offer so call today.