While California is home to many refineries, it also has its own version of the EPA, which insists on using gas additives. Sometimes the solutions end up being worse than the problem, and MTBE (methyl text-butyl ether), which was used for decades, is now banned. MBTE affects water quality (taste and odor), has various health effects depending on concentration, and tended to degrade rubber hoses in engines, among other things. Residents near state borders often cross the lines to get less expensive gasoline.
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