Jan. 6 – China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation or Sinopec is under investigation as Hong Kong drivers look for alternative fuel suppliers following reports of breakdowns related to adulterated liquefied petroleum.

The state-owned company provides 75 percent of territory’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) needs including fuel for around 18,000 taxis and 2,000 minibuses. Hundreds of taxis and minibuses have broken down in the last few weeks allegedly due to dirty LPG sold at Sinopec filling stations reports Bloomberg.

This has forced Hong Kong taxi drivers to urgently search for alternative fuel suppliers. Questions are now being asked about the lack of provision of fuel checks as it remains unclear whether the issue is a matter of contaminated fuel being imported by the company or whether its delivery mechanisms in Hong Kong are dirty.

The government will take samples from the stations and hold talks with taxi drivers and representatives from Sinopec, according to a statement from Hong Kong’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

The Motor Transport Workers General Union have instructed taxi drivers not to use Sinopec fuel and to keep receipts of costs incurred from breakdowns so that the group can press for compensation reports the South China Morning Post.