Degree of contamination and deviation from required product specifications.
Probable end use of product in present condition, after laboratory analysis.
Probability of restoring product to usable quality (original intended use or other end use).
Location and quantity of questionable product, need for unreclaimed product at any facility,
and estimated consumption rate.
Availability of material and equipment necessary to reclaim product.
(2) Products should be segregated by type of product. Send representative samples, by product and
tank, to the laboratory. If appropriate, the product may be issued for immediate use, further storage is not
recommended. If the product can not be issued continue with other options.
d. Downgrading. Products that can not be reclaimed for their intended use may be downgraded to a
lower quality product, as long as the product meets the use limits for the lower quality product. For example,
diesel fuel that cannot be reclaimed for use in motor vehicles may be used as fuel in heating plants or stationary
engines, as long as it meets the use limits for to which type of product it has been downgraded.
e. Blending.
(1) Blending is the mixing of two products, usually the deteriorated/contaminated product with a
product that is on specification. However, the two products should be of the same type and intended for the same
original use. All blending must be strictly controlled and the blending ratios are determined by the laboratory.
An example of blending is mixing of 100 gallons of unusable JP8 with 10,000 gallons of on-specification of JP8,
resulting in 10,100 gallons of JP8 that is suitable for its original intended use The actual blending ratio would be
provided by the laboratory.
(2) Occasionally, a combination of blending and downgrading is used. This is done primarily when
there is a large quantity of grossly contaminated/deteriorated product which would require the use of more on-
specification fuel than is practical to make the product usable for its intended purpose (for example, not enough
storage space, or create more product than can be issued quickly for consumption). Only enough on-specification
product would be blended with the grossly contaminated/deteriorated product to bring it within use limits of the
lowest type of possible use. An example is 10,000 gallons of grossly contaminated JP8 has 250 gallons of on-
specification JP8 blended to it making it usable as fuel for a heating plant.
QM5200
10-14
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