[pct-l] FYI: Denatured alcohol availability in So Cal

[David Thibault]

 As I understand in the issue that LA County has with Denatured Alcohol is
this: when used as a paint thinner it evaporates into the atmosphere and
adds to the smog problems.  For this reason they are attempting to
discourage the use of Denatured Alcohol as a paint thinner because there are
many acceptable alternatives for thinning paint that do not add VOC's to the
atmosphere.

So denatured Alcohol will be harder to find in this area because it will no
longer be carried by hardware stores as a paint thinner.  Thinning paint was
the purpose most hardware stores carried this product.  The other uses of
the product are still fine in LA county as far as I can tell.  If you
notice, a lot of the cans of denatured alcohol say Paint Thinner and Marine
Fuel.  As a fuel the alcohol is burned and does not evaporate into the
atmosphere so has a much less contribution to smog.

Heet is designed and marketed to be burned, as it goes into your gas tank.
Stores could sell denatured alcohol same as always if is was marked as just
a marine fuel.  This issue is that hardware stores really do not have a
market for selling marine fuel - they do have a market for selling paint
thinner.  For them, they will just drop carrying Denatured alcohol and carry
approved paint thinners.

So for hikers who use this product like a marine fuel,  it will still be
available, it will just be harder to find as the hardware stores will carry
other paint thinners that will not burn well in your stove.  The auto stores
should still be selling heat same as always.

Effect to hikers:  Fuel is available just may be harder to find.

Day-Late




> .Is HEET not available in San Diego now?
>
> .