The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) (Petrol Vapour Recovery) Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision for the implementation (in part) in Great Britain of European Parliament and Council Directive 94/63/EC on the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations. The Regulations provide the framework for the requirements of that Directive, other than Article 5, to be imposed and enforced under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (“the Act”).

Regulation 3 amends Schedule 1 to the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/472) by adding, to the list of processes prescribed for local control under Part I of the Act, the storage, loading and unloading of petrol at terminals and the storage and unloading of petrol at service stations. Copies of the maps referred to in the definition of “exempt service station” in the description of the process may be inspected during normal office hours at The Scottish Office Agriculture Environment and Fisheries Department, 1H Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ, at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, Stirling FK9 4TR, and at that Agency’s regional headquarters in Dingwall, East Kilbride and Edinburgh. Regulation 4 and the Schedule make transitional provision as to the date from which an authorisation under Part I of the Act is required to carry on such a process. The Directive does not require prior authorisation of such processes.

Regulation 2 amends the Environmental Protection (Applications, Appeals and Registers) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/507) to require the petroleum licensing authority to be consulted or notified before authorisations to carry on such processes are granted or substantially varied, and to exempt such processes from the advertising requirements in Schedule 1 to the Act.

A compliance cost assessment in respect of these Regulations may be obtained from Air and Environmental Quality Division, Department of the Environment, Romney House, 43 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY; Environment Division, Welsh Office, Cathays Park, Cardiff CD1 3NQ; or The Scottish Office Agriculture Environment and Fisheries Department, 1H Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.