Brazil Supreme Court faced with MPF lawsuit to halt ethanol increase in gasoline

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) filed a civil public action with Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) seeking to suspend the government's decision to raise the mandatory share of anhydrous ethanol in gasoline from 30% (E30) to 32% (E32). The MPF argues that the change, approved by the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) on 14 July, was made without adequate technical impact studies and without scientific validation of the new blend's safety for the national vehicle fleet.

According to the petition, existing tests were based on the E30 formulation and do not demonstrate that the higher ethanol content will not cause corrosion of metal parts, premature wear of fuel pumps, or failures in electronic injection systems, especially in motorcycles, older vehicles and imported models. The MPF also cites potential indirect environmental impacts and notes that the E32 specification permits blends up to 34% ethanol, which likewise lack specific validation. The agency urges that consumers must be protected from a fuel composition that has not been proven safe and compatible with Brazil's diverse vehicle stock.