How much paraffin is used in the domestic setting in South Africa?
The national sales figure for paraffin for 2002 was 745 million litres. As with quantifying the number of harmful incidents are concerned, it is difficult to quantify exactly how much of this figure was used in the domestic setting for the following reasons: • The national sales figures available from SAPIA (South African Petroleum Industry Association) cannot isolate any misuse of paraffin. The national figures have declined significantly as a result of improved control of unscrupulous resellers (downstream from oil company depots) who were spiking diesel with paraffin in order to avoid the cost of tax on diesel sales. This resulted in the national annual sales figure being distorted. It has declined in recent years due to a dying agent being placed in paraffin to change the colour of diesel if it is spiked with paraffin. In 2003, 583 million litres have been sold between January and September. • The vast majority, but not all of this paraffin goes to domestic consumption. Statistics
