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Q: What purpose do dripless nozzles and low-permeation hoses serve?
A: Low-perm hoses and dripless nozzles, also known as Enhanced Conventional (ECO) nozzles, are emission- and drip-control dispensing equipment designed to minimize air pollution and fuel loss. ECO nozzles feature mechanical interlocks and specialized spouts to prevent fuel retention within the nozzle, dripping and spillage. Compared to traditional dispensing hoses, low-perm hoses feature more layers of barrier material to block fuel vapors from diffusing through the hose walls.
Q: Is there a federal national standard for use of low-perm hoses and ECO nozzles?
A: No. This is regulated at the state level and may vary by state.
Q: What states require ECO nozzles and low-perm hoses?
A: After regulators required almost all gasoline dispensing facilities to decommission their Stage II vapor recovery systems due to their incompatibility with Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) equipment installed on vehicles, some states began requiring the installation of dispensing equipment with enhanced vapor recovery capabilities in place of conventional nozzles and hoses. While mandates vary significantly across state and local air quality districts due to localized ozone nonattainment challenges, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington (Southwest Clean Air Agency and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency), Utah, Oregon and Maryland are among the states with existing or pending requirements.
Q: What cost savings do ECO nozzles and low-perm hoses offer?
A: While initial costs are significantly higher than conventional dispensing equipment, which discourages widespread use in non-regulated areas, long-term savings over the lifespan of the more advanced equipment can result from reduced fuel loss from spillage and evaporation.
Q: What brands of dripless nozzles and low-perm hoses does Source North America supply?
A: Source offers enhanced conventional dispensing equipment from Continental ContiTech, Franklin Electric Fueling Systems, Husky Corporation, OPW Retail Fueling and VST. To order dripless nozzles or low-perm hose, contact your local Source representative or visit shop.sourcena.com.
Understanding Why Dripless Nozzles and Low-Perm Hoses Represent the Final Piece of the Emissions Puzzle
When the U.S. vehicle fleet transitioned to Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) systems, it became counterproductive to utilize Stage II vacuum-assist nozzles. As such, the EPA authorized states to begin decommissioning Stage II vapor recovery systems in 2012. Most people assumed that ORVR would be sufficient for capturing emissions. However, as some air quality districts continued monitoring their air for ozone and toxics, they identified two gaps:
- Gasoline molecules were diffusing through traditional dispensing hose and evaporating into the air even when the dispenser was idle
- Standard nozzles retained liquid fuel in their spouts after refueling, leading to drips and spills
No off-the-shelf equipment existed to solve these problems at the time. To force a solution, California established a certification pathway for low-perm hoses in 2014, and finalized performance standards for dripless nozzles in 2015. These regulations pushed equipment manufacturers to engineer new solutions. Low-perm hoses were introduced in 2014-2015, and ECO nozzles made their debut in 2018-2019.
