Memorandum submitted by Tracerco
INTRODUCTION
1. This brief memorandum is particularly
concerned with drawing the Committee's attention to a tracer technology
which properly developed could have a significant impact on enhancing
and enforcing certification schemes.
TRACERCO CREDENTIALS
2. Tracerco, now a division of Johnson Matthey
Plc., began operating in 1959 and has focused on delivering tracing
solutions throughout the hydrocarbon chain—from crude oil
through to consumer fuels. Tracerco has a large number of different
molecular marker technology platforms that involve chemical, biochemical
and isotopic technologies. Tracerco taggants can be used as part
of wider fuel brand protection exercises, anti-adulteration programmes,
quality assurance and anti-theft investigations. The tracers are
unique, organic molecules added to the fuels during production.
The typical concentration of molecular markers in products range
from parts per trillion (10-12) to parts per million (10-6) and
analysis can be hand held portable, mobile or laboratory based.
3. Tracerco is involved in projects that
range from small scale supply of tracers to integrated turnkey
projects and from company specific solutions to full scale national
programmes. Some typical programmes and applications for Tracerco's
Tracer Solutions are outlined below.
ADBLUE
TRACING
4. AdBlue is a high specification fluid
used as part of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) NOx emission
control technology to allow heavy duty vehicles to meet EURO IV
and EURO V air emission regulations. Following concerns about
what fluid a trucker would use in his truck and how to check this,
CEFIC the European Chemical Industry Council engaged in a joint
development project with Tracerco. The outcome is a unique tracer
that can be safely added to the AdBlue fluid to allow adulteration
or product substitution to be monitored in the field. The technology
has been proven in the field and laboratory and plans are in place
for an extended programme in Northern Europe. Engagement is planned
with DG ENTR and other appropriate DGs within the Commission as
well as with Member States to introduce a regulatory regime to
apply to the AdBlue tracer.
BRAZILIAN GASOLINE
ANTI-ADULTERATION
5. The adulteration of gasoline with kerosene
and other industrial solvents was a major issue in Brazil during
the late 1990's. In 2001 Tracerco was approached by the Brazilian
Government to provide an advanced tagging programme to help resolve
the issue. Tracerco developed a range of tracers each with its
own unique fingerprint, that were added into the kerosene and
the other industrial solvents at different origins (eight in total)
so that if they were blended with gasoline the source of adulteration
can be determined. The programme has been successfully operating
now for over seven years with no tracer security issues. There
have been numerous prosecutions, which has led to a dramatic decrease
in the level of fuel adulteration taking place in the market from
over 20% to less than 4%.
PET TAGGING
6. Recycled polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
is becoming a major source of more environmentally friendly plastics.
Specifically used in clothing to replace virgin PET and as a result
a premium is charged for it. In conjunction with a major supplier
of recycled PET, Tracerco have developed a unique marker system
that allows the level of tagged recycled PET within a sample to
be determined. RePET tagging will monitor and police the process
of virgin PET (which is cheaper) being added to the recycled product.
PALM OIL
7. There is little argument about the need
for universally acceptable certification standards for sustainably
produced palm oil, but significant differences about exactly what
they should be and how to achieve them. A key issue of course
is that palm oil produced in a sustainable manner is chemically
identical to palm oil produced in a non-sustainable manner. So
end-user customers, on receipt of their palm oil, cannot be 100%
sure their product conforms to any sustainability criterion that
has been declared. But to date all the certification processes
are paper exercises, involving documentary track & trace audit
schemes.
8. Tracerco has developed a range of chemical
tracers that can be added to palm oil under a strict sustainable
certification regime. The tracer is fully FDA approved, is added
at a concentration of a few parts per billion and has no impact
on the palm oil or its use. By adding the tracer only to sustainably
certified palm oil, customers are able to take samples of the
Palm Oil they receive and test for the tracer. The technology
has been developed such that it can detect if 5% of non-tagged
palm oil exists within the tagged batch.
9. Tracerco are now engaging with producers,
consumers, and civil societies to establish a sustainable and
traceable chain of custody for palm oil which will help define
and satisfy EU regulatory requirements. Tracerco have embarked
on an exploratory alliance agreement with the Malaysian Palm Oil
Board (MPOB) and are opening discussions with the Roundtable on
Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to develop a pilot project using the
tracers.
RELEVANCE TO
THE TIMBER
TRADE
10. Tracerco is now addressing the application
of its unique tracer technology to timber. We are confident that
by using this technology or a derivative, we can develop robust
and reliable methods to enable sustainable timber to be traced
at all significant points of the supply chain. Such technologies
would complement and go beyond the scope of RFID systems. They
would also materially assist implementation of the Government's
sustainable procurement policy as well as give teeth to the EU
Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action plan.
11. Tracerco would like to invite the Committee
to address the possibility of recommending the creation of a regulatory
road map which will in due course require the application of such
reliable physical verification systems.
9 March 2009
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