Ethanol is non-toxic, water soluble and is the most harmless and biodegradable component of gasoline. In fact, ethanol occurs naturally during the fermentation of organic matter.

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a fuel oxygenate derived from petroleum. MTBE has been used extensively in the nation’s gasoline supply and has been a chief competitor of ethanol in the oxygenate market.

Ethanol adds oxygen to gasoline—helping it burn more completely, thus significantly reducing tailpipe emissions. Ethanol is a clean-burning renewable fuel that helps reduce emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Studies have shown that ethanol:

If we’re going to clean up America’s air, we need to start with its biggest polluter—engine emissions.