ANP may authorize gasoline and ethanol delivery service at home

The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) evaluates the authorization of the gasoline and ethanol delivery service at home. The project is still a pilot and was born from a claim for fuel delivery of the company Gofit, which began selling the product in pickup trucks at the end of last year, but had the activity suspended after being challenged in court. The Agency said it has met with several agencies (Ipem, Inmetro, Inea and ANTT) to discuss the matter. According to the ANP, if the project is approved, the company will receive a provisional authorization to carry out the service during a certain period, at certain geographical limits, with compliance with safety parameters and with monitoring and surveillance, authorization from other agencies, such as the Department of Environment and Fire Department, for example. "The ANP studies the realization of a pilot project, that is, it is not yet decided whether it will occur. All these criteria are still being evaluated," says the ANP. The Agency also informs that it will evaluate the regulation of the service after conducting regulatory impact analysis (AIR), as well as public consultations and hearings. According to the ANP, so far, only Gofit has requested permission to perform the service. However, if the pilot project is approved, other companies may request participation. According to an industry source, at least two other major networks of posts in São Paulo would be willing to offer the service. Distributors Gofit began delivering fuel at home last year in Rio, but was forced to suspend the sale after being questioned in court. The National Federation of Retail Fuel and LubricantS Trade (Fecombustíveis) has already filed an injunction against the service. The same was done by the Union of Retail Trade of Fuels, Lubricants and Convenience Stores of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Sindicomb). According to the entities, Gofit, of the Group Manguinhos, began in October 2019 a campaign on television presentation of the application. The service began in December in three neighborhoods of Rio: Barra da Tijuca, Recreio and Vargem Grande. Sindcomb filed a state civil lawsuit against App. Maria Aparecida Schneider, president of the union, says the service is illegal and there is no way to guarantee quality, quantity of product and, mainly, the safety of Users. In addition, it also has the requirement of the correct disposal of liquids to avoid contamination, according to the president of the union. "You can't control operation with cars that run through the streets. We learned of supplies that happened on top of culverts or indoors (garage), for example. The risk of handling a flammable product is very large. At the stations, it is necessary fire department certificate along with a report that determines everything you need to have in the supply area, such as waterproof floorand channels that carry waste leaking into a water and oil separator box. Fuel is not pizza. You can't compare the delivery of a pizza with a fuel, which will never be a safe product and need so many rules to prevent accidents," he says. For Maria Aparecida, more important topics, such as the theft of petrobras pipeline fuel, are being left aside. "Putting this theme in the midst of other such important points, such as fuel theft, makes no sense. Nor can you, in the name of modernity, take a chance. The modern is good as long as it is safe," he says. Paulo Miranda Soares, president of Fecombustíveis, explains that gasoline supplies are an extremely dangerous activity and that gas stations are required to comply with a number of rules for sale. "Activity already exists in other countries, but with strict rules. We can't risk it, it's an activity that requires a lot of security so there can be no explosions." Wanted, GoFit did not return to the calls.