ACCUTRACE™ Plus – Euromarker FAQ’s

What Is ACCUTRACE™ Plus?

ACCUTRACE™ Plus Fuel Marker is a fuel marker comprised of 76% butoxybenzene (CAS 1126-79-0) and 24% hydrotreated light naphthenic petroleum distillates, manufactured by Dow (US). In 2022, it was announced as the replacement for the common fiscal marker used across the EU, Solvent Yellow 124 (otherwise known as the Euromarker), with a deadline of 18th January 2024.

What is the dosing level of ACCUTRACE™ Plus?

The EU has set the marking level of ACCUTRACE™ Plus at least 12,5 mg/L and not more than 18,75 mg/L of energy product. This corresponds to a marking level of at least 9,5 mg/L and not more than 14,25 mg/L of butoxybenzene per litre of energy product. Local authorities are responsible for setting the specific local dosage requirements, within this range.

What is the test method for ACCUTRACE™ Plus?

ACCUTRACE™ Plus is a more advanced fuel marker than Solvent Yellow 124, meaning that field testing equipment is more sophisticated. The manufacturer has provided test methods for both the concentrate (HPLC) and marker in fuels (GCMS) which can be obtained directly from them.

John Hogg have also finalised our HPLC test method for quality control of the ACCUTRACE™ Plus concentrate and can provide advice on testing equipment and method recommendations when required.

What should I do if I can’t test ACCUTRACE™ Plus?

For customers that cannot test ACCUTRACE™ Plus, we recommend that a sample is taken and sent to a testing house after dosing equipment has been calibrated. John Hogg can recommend local testing houses if required.

How will John Hogg’s products be affected by the change?

To accommodate the change in Euromarker, John Hogg has developed a brand-new set of products covering all local legislation requirements in the EU, as well as some non-member states.

Our Dyeguard® range of marker dye concentrate products offer both compliance with local fuel laws as well as compatibility with existing dosing equipment.

When will the product for my local legislation be available?

The new Dyeguard® products will be available to buy from summer 2023, depending on when local governments finalise their implementation plans. Some products are already available as samples for testing and approvals, which can be provided on request.

For more information about local products, please contact us directly and we will be happy to provide you with a more detailed update.

How will this affect the cost?

ACCUTRACE™ Plus is 3-4 times more expensive than the current Euromarker (Solvent Yellow 124). This will inevitably increase costs, both for us as the manufacturer and for the end users of our marker dye concentrate products. The cost is again dependant on how local governments decide to implement the new system, in particular the required dosage rate of ACCUTRACE™ Plus.

What is the current implementation timeline for my country?

The deadline for all relevant countries to switch over to ACCUTRACE™ Plus is 18th January 2024. However, implementing ACCUTRACE™ Plus into the whole fuel supply chain at the correct level by the deadline is not instant. There is also likely to be a high volume of Solvent Yellow 124 marked product still in the market for some time after the deadline.

For these reasons most countries are currently discussing transition plans, including when ACCUTRACE™ Plus is allowed to start being dosed, whether both markers will be allowed together for a period of time and how they will test the fuels.

Some countries have decided on their transition period already such as Germany (starting 1st August 2023), the Netherlands (starting 1st July 2023), Belgium (starting 1st July 2023) and Sweden (starting 1st October 2023), but most are still under review.

In general, we anticipate that local suppliers will need to start dosing products in Autumn 2023 to ensure the correct marker levels by the deadline.For more detailed information on local transition plans, please contact us directly.

Can I buy ACCUTRACE™ Plus on its own from John Hogg?

Yes, John Hogg can provide ACCUTRACE™ Plus individually, for customers who do not need a marker dye concentrate product.

When is the last order date for products marked with Solvent Yellow 124?

This will depend on local transition periods. We plan to stop supply of Solvent Yellow 124 products in Autumn 2023 to ensure that fuel suppliers are compliant by the deadline.

What can I do with my excess stock of product marked with Solvent Yellow 124?

We recommend that stocks are run down as much as possible before the deadline, as John Hogg will be unable to take any material back.

Do I need to clean out my storage tanks to accommodate the product change?

The best option is to clean the tank as it will allow for a clear switch between both products, but this is not always operationally possible. Another option is to run the tank as low as possible, before adding the new marker product, which ensures that the transition between the two systems is as fast as possible. However, this option means that initial volumes of fuel in the tank will not contain 100% of the required ACCUTRACE™ Plus, which may or may not be an issue depending on local legislation.

We have developed a stock management tool which can be used to understand how many deliveries of new product it will take to phase out the old marker, based on volumes of storage tanks and existing marked fuel product. The tool is available on request, so please contact us directly if you are interested.

How should I prepare for the ACCUTRACE™ Plus change?

We recommend that you check with your local authorities on the current transition and implementation plans, which will indicate when dosing can start and when you should be prepared to order.

Next, we recommend that you use our stock management tool to help understand how a switch between markers will work with your existing stock levels and storage tank sizes. John Hogg will then be able to recommend a delivery schedule to ensure that your fuels are compliant by the deadline of January 2024.

ACCUTRACE™ is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow.