With harvest underway, farmers may be refuelling combines and other vehicles in-field, and may be using intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) to transport fuel from farm store to where it is needed.
Read advice on transporting fuel on the road is available in the NFU Business Guide No 132 Farm Transport of Dangerous Goods on the Road.
Diesel will degrade
If you are using IBCs, it is important to remember that diesel will degrade if exposed to sunlight for even relatively short periods of time.
Recent laboratory tests seen by the NFU show that there is a measurable decline in fuel quality after exposure to sunlight for two weeks, with increased water content and a higher particle count - linked to filter blocking - detected.
Always move fuel in a safe way using an approved container and, if using a translucent IBC, keep exposure to sunlight to a minimum.
If you experience a fuel-quality issue, use the links below to email the NFU Science and Regulatory Affairs team directly: