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Note: This consultation has now closed and a summary of responses has now been published. The following material has been left in place for reference/archive purposes.

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Note: this document has also been made available in Adobe Acrobat format (110kb) for downloading. The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be freely downloaded. Viewers with visual difficulties may find it useful to investigate services provided to improve the accessibility of Acrobat documents - http://access.adobe.com

See also this News Release (16 April 2002)

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1. Introduction

Petrol vapour escapes when drivers fill their tanks at a service station. Petrol contains Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are a precursor to ground level ozone, the main constituent of summer time smog. Exposure to ozone can damage crops and ecosystems, and presents a direct risk to human health. Benzene, for example, is a genotoxic human carcinogen. Petrol vapour recovery systems can be installed at service stations to reduce emissions of VOCs from vehicle refuelling; these are known as 'stage II' controls.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Ministers, Welsh Ministers and the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) propose to implement stage II controls in the UK by a limited negotiated agreement with UK industry. They believe that this flexible approach would be:

• the most cost-effective measure for implementing stage II petrol vapour recovery,
• offers the most protection to smaller and rural petrol stations, and
• phases in best with industry investment cycles.

Before reaching a decision on the detail of the negotiated agreement Ministers want to hear the views of interested parties on the broad approach proposed and the options available.

This consultation paper provides background on stage II petrol vapour recovery and outlines the negotiated agreement with industry approach, whilst seeking views on a number of specific points. Other and more general comments are also welcomed.

The proposed scheme would have the following features:

• a negotiated agreement with industry - including an agreed implementation plan for progress to be judged against;
• a 75 per cent conversion rate of the largest petrol stations - protecting the smaller outlets from disproportionate costs (throughput threshold is a point of consultation, see section 4);
• a rollout plan, agreed with industry, to show how this will be achieved by 2010 - to enable stage II controls to be installed in line with forecourt reinvestment strategies, as well as in all new outlets above the minimum threshold;
• type approval tests for stage II controls to ensure that they meet certain efficiency standards for vapour recovery; and
• monthly checks for blockages and leaks and annual in-situ compliance testing to be carried out by the operator and recorded in a service station logbook and where appropriate reported to the local enforcing authority.

Once fully implemented, the proposed scheme is expected to reduce emissions of VOC by between 13 kilotonnes to 17 kilotonnes a year. That is roughly 50% - 65% of total emissions from source, at an average cost of between £112 per tonne and £135 per tonne. The exact level of a reduction in VOC emissions and the average cost will depend on the threshold agreed. (The figures above are based on a 2,000m³ and a 3,000m³ annual throughput.)

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) invite comments to the proposals outlined in this document. All responses should be received by 9 July 2002.

Comments on the proposed scheme should be sent to one of the addresses below:

Georgina Brown
Air and Environment Quality
Defra
4/G16 Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
LONDON SW1E 6DE
Email: georgina.brown@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Claire Dodd
Air, Climate and Engineering Unit
Environment Group
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH EH6 6QQ
Email: claire.dodd@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Nicola Britton
Environmental Protection Division
National Assembly for Wales
Cathays Park
CARDIFF CF10 3NQ
Email: environmental.protection.division@wales.gov.uk

Rodger Lightbody
Environmental Policy Division
Department of Environment Northern Ireland
13^th Floor River House
48 High Street
BELFAST BT1 2AW
Email: env.pol@doeni.gov.uk

Additional copies of the consultation paper can be obtained from the addresses above and will also be made available in the libraries of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. A copy will also be available on the Defra, Scottish Executive, Assembly of Wales and Department of Environment (NI) websites.

Replies received during consultation are normally made public. Authors must specifically ask for comments to be treated in confidence. All replies, including those given in confidence, will be included in any statistical summaries of the response to this consultation and will appear on the relevant websites.

The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations will consider all responses to this consultation paper and take these into account when implementing the preferred scheme.

Consultation List

AA Action of Churches Together in Scotland Ashdown Environmental Aspinwall and Co Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland Association of UK Oil Independents BP Oil UK British Heart Foundation British Lung Foundation British Medical Association Burmah Petroleum Fuels Cabinet Office Carlisle Fuels Catholic Parliamentary Office CBI Environment CBI Scotland Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Chartered Institute of Transport Church of Scotland Offices Community Transport Scotland Confederation of Passenger Transport Conoco Ltd Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Country Landowners Association Countryside Council for Wales Department of Health Department of Trade and Industry Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions ENDS English Nature Environment Agency (Eng and Wales) Environmental Industries Commission Environmental Services Association Environment and Heritage Service, NI The Environment Council ESSO Evangelical Alliance (Scotland) Exxon Chemicals Olefins Inc Fenner Fluid Power Forecourt Equipment Federation Foreign and Commonwealth Office Friends of the Earth Freight Transport Association Gilbarco Ltd Giodelft Environment Gleaner Oil Health and Safety Executive HM Customs and Excise HM Treasury Home Office Hylands Fuels Institute of Petroleum

JET Petroleum Distributors Kane Fuels Kelly's Fuels Law Society of Scotland Local Authorities of England and Wales Local Authorities of Scotland Local Authorities of Northern Ireland Local Government Association London Fire and Civil Defence Authority Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maxol Fuels Ministry of Defence Motorcycle Industry Association National Asthma Campaign National Society for Clean Air The National Trust National Weights and Measures Laboratory Nicholls Fuels PERA Petrol Retailers Association Petroman RAC Road Haulage Association Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland The Royal Household Royal Scottish Automobile Association Rural Forum St Columbus Episcopal Church Scottish Civic Trust Scottish Conservative Unionist Party Scottish Enterprise Scottish Environment Link Scottish Environment Protection Agency Scottish Federation of Small Businesses Scottish Green Party Scottish Inter Faith Council Scottish Labour Party Scottish Law Commission Scottish Liberal Democrats Scottish Motor Trade Association Scottish National Party Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Socialist Party Scottish Studies Transport Group Shell Direct Shell UK Exploration and Production Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders SUSTRANS Scotland TRANSform Scotland Transport 2000 Transport Research Institute UK Petroleum Industries Association UKRep Vent Consulting Ltd

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Published 16 April 2002 / Updated 16 September 2002

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