Circular regarding denaturing agents to be used while denaturing ethanol used for blending in vehicle fuel

Issued

01 Apr 2026

Source

State Excise Website

Category

Excise Page Pdf

What This Document Says

Gazette Reference: Circular dated 04.01.2024 (approx.), Maharashtra State Excise Department Type: Administrative Circular — Denaturing Agents for Ethanol Used in Vehicle Fuel Blending Authority: Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 (relevant provisions on denatured spirit/ethanol)

FORMAT B: NON-FEE AMENDMENT

Amended Rule/Section: Circular issued under BPA provisions governing denatured spirit; superseding/modifying earlier circulars including No. 3133/(Part-I), No. 7114.1.2011, and related orders.

Type of Change: New Circular / Substitution of denaturing agent specifications for ethanol used in vehicle fuel blending

What Changed:

The earlier circular prescribed Crotonaldehyde as one of the denaturing agents to be added to ethanol intended for blending into vehicle fuel (petrol). However, Crotonaldehyde (at 0.1% level as previously specified) raised concerns regarding its handling safety and availability. This new circular replaces Crotonaldehyde as a permissible denaturing agent and prescribes a revised list of approved denaturing agents along with their permissible concentrations for ethanol used in fuel blending purposes.

The revised denaturing formulation is intended to ensure that ethanol blended into vehicle fuel cannot be diverted for potable/drinking purposes, while using safer and more readily available chemical denaturants.

Key Details:

Previous denaturing agent being replaced: Crotonaldehyde (at 0.17% or similar concentration) — found problematic due to safety/availability concerns
Revised approved denaturing agents (for ethanol used in vehicle fuel blending) as per the new circular:

Sr. No.	Denaturing Agent	Permissible Quantity/Concentration
1	Acetone	As specified (approx. ≤50 ppm or per table)
2	Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)	As specified
3	Ethyl Acetate	As specified

(Note: Exact concentrations in the Marathi text appear partially legible; the three agents — Acetone, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Ethyl Acetate — are explicitly listed as the approved denaturants)

Crotonaldehyde is discontinued as a mandatory/permitted denaturing agent for this purpose
The circular is addressed to:
- All District Collectors
- All Superintendents of State Excise
- Oil companies / ethanol suppliers concerned
- Regional offices of the Excise Department
Compliance is required with immediate effect from date of circular
Any ethanol being supplied for fuel blending must henceforth use only the newly specified denaturing agents
Earlier circulars/orders to the extent inconsistent with this circular stand modified

Effective Date: From date of publication/circulation (on or around 04.01.2024)

Authority: Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 — provisions relating to denatured spirit and industrial alcohol; Government of Maharashtra, Finance Department (Excise)

Note: The gazette text is substantially in Marathi script with some OCR degradation. The above summary reflects the primary operative content. If precise concentration percentages or specific circular numbers need to be confirmed, the original Marathi document should be reviewed manually for exact figures.

मराठीत सारांश

# थोडक्यात:
उत्पादन शुल्क विभागाच्या नव्या circular नुसार, ethanol (इंधनासाठी वापरले जाणारे अल्कोहल) साठी **Crotonaldehyde रद्द केली गेली** आणि त्याची जागा **Acetone, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, आणि Ethyl Acetate** यांनी घेतली.

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## काय बदलले?

**आधी:**
- Crotonaldehyde हा रसायन ethanol मध्ये मिसळून दारू लिकर बनू न देणे (denaturing करणे) हा उद्देश होता
- पण हा रसायन वापरणे असुरक्षित होते आणि मिळणे कठीण होते

**आता:**
- तीन नवीन रसायन वापरायचे: **Acetone, MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), Ethyl Acetate**
- ही सुरक्षित आणि सहजपणे उपलब्ध आहेत
- हे ethanol वाहनांच्या इंधनात मिसळण्यासाठी पुरेसे दूषित करतात, ताकि कोणी पिण्यासाठी दुरुपयोग न करू शकेल

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## किंवा कोण केलेला आदेश?

🔹 महाराष्ट्र Government — **Excise Department**
🔹 **Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949** अंतर्गत
🔹 दिनांक: **4 जानेवारी 2024** (अंदाजे)

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## किला?

- Crotonaldehyde सुरक्षित नव्हते
- नवीन रसायने सुरक्षित, सुलभ आहेत
- ethanol ने vehicle fuel (पेट्रोल) मिसळते, पण दारू बनू शकत नाही हे सुनिश्चित करणे

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## कोणाला लागू?

✓ सर्व **District Collectors**
✓ सर्व **State Excise Superintendents**
✓ **Oil companies** आणि ethanol suppliers
✓ सर्व **ethanol blending units**

**आता सर्व ethanol साठी हेच तीन रसायन (Acetone, MEK, Ethyl Acetate) वापरायचे आहेत — Crotonaldehyde नाही.**

Original Document

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