New Delhi: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has rejected social media claims that ants are attracted to ethanol-blended fuel, calling the circulating videos and posts “fake” and “baseless”.
The Centre has been promoting ethanol blending as an alternative to conventional petrol and diesel amid crude oil supply constraints and price volatility. With rising interest, vehicle makers have also been exploring compatible models, and an 85% ethanol blend has recently been introduced at a price said to be about Rs 20 per litre lower than regular petrol.
Amid this push, videos purportedly showing ants swarming around fuel caps of vehicles using ethanol-blended fuel went viral online. BPCL said these visuals do not reflect reality.
In its statement, BPCL explained that fuel-grade ethanol used for blending is produced through fermentation and distillation, processes that remove sugars completely. It added that the ethanol also contains molecules with insect-repellent properties.
BPCL further said that even after blending, petrol’s hydrocarbon odour remains dominant, and ethanol-blended petrol evaporates in smaller quantities than regular petrol. Therefore, the company said there is no factor in the fuel that would attract ants or other insects near vehicle fuel lids.
