Well oiled Swedes

Petrol in Sweden will contain less sulphur than any in Europe by the year 2000. Swedish oil companies recently agreed to switch to petrol containing fewer than 50 parts sulphur per million (ppm). Planned European legislation will set a higher limit of 150 ppm. Rolf Annerberg, director-general of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, argues that cleaner fuel will reduce air pollution and encourage the design of more efficient automobile engines. "It paves the way for lower fuel consumption, thereby automatically reducing carbon dioxide emissions," he says (New Scientist , Vol 157, No 2118).