B 4.1. What are the environmental benefits associated with the use of ethanol?
Ethanol is a fuel produced from renewable sources and has low carbon content what makes possible the mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG). These two features attach strategic importance to it in the struggle against the intensification of the Greenhouse Effect, as well as its effects on the global climate change, and put the product in line with the principles of sustainable development (see item B4.5). Compared to oil and its by-products, it features low toxicity and high biodegradability, which are factors of paramount importance in events of accidental spillage and leakage of fuel on seashores, soils and surface and underground waters. This means that in the case of accidents the environmental impacts of ethanol will be substantially lower and the restoration of the environment will be much faster compared to what goes on in the case of fossil fuels. Due to its high octane rating ethanol has been successfully replacing toxic lead-based anti-knock additives. In terms of atmospheric e
