Regulation of petrol stations

The new Petrol Vapour Recovery (PVR) Stage II standard rules are now in place and apply to existing petrol stations if your annual petrol throughput is 3,500 m3 or 3,500,000 litres or more. 

If PVR Stage II applies to you, you must apply for a 'substantial variation' to your current permit by the end of February 2012.

You can apply for a substantial variation electronically by making an email application to hold a PVR Stage I and II standard rules permit. Guidance on making an email application and the relevant application form are available on the Application Forms section of our website. An application form for a new PVR standard rules permit is also available on the Application Forms page.

We encourage you to make your application via email, but if you are unable to make an electronic payment, you can download the application form for a substantial variation for PVR Stages I and II standard rules permit and send it, along with your application fee, to the SEPA Perth Office, 7 Whitefriars Crescent, Perth PH2 0PA.

For further information on PVR Stage II and the standard rules, see a copy of the letter pdf link (40 kb) sent to all permitted petrol stations in December 2011.  

Introduction

These web pages apply to you if you operate a petrol/service station where petrol is unloaded into stationary storage tanks and if you refuel motor vehicles. 

Service stations are commonly thought of as petrol or filling stations. But in this instance, service stations also include commercial refuelling sites such as those found on Post Office or Ministry of Defence premises.

All such activities will need some form of petrol vapour recovery.

Why does SEPA regulate your business?

In order to protect the air environment it is important to recover petrol vapour rather than release it into the atmosphere. Petrol vapour contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene, which is a known carcinogen (petrol contains less than 1% benzene). Under certain conditions VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog) which may damage human health and the environment.

The following petrol activities are listed under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Regulations) 2000, as amended, which means if you operate any of the activities listed, you must hold a SEPA-issued permit to legally operate. 

a) If your service station was opened before 1 January 2012 (otherwise known as an existing service station) Petrol Vapour Recovery Stage I applies if:

  • you are receiving petrol deliveries to your service station and your annual delivery throughput of petrol is likely to exceed 500m3 or 500,000 litres in a year. 

In addition, Petrol Vapour Recovery Stage II applies if:

  • you are refuelling motor vehicles and the petrol refuelling throughput is likely to exceed 3500m3 or 3500,000 litres in a year.

b) If your service station was opened on or after 1 January 2012 (otherwise known as a new service station) Petrol Vapour Recovery Stage I applies if:

  • you are receiving petrol deliveries to your service station and your annual delivery throughput of petrol is likely to exceed 500m3 or 500,000 litres in a year.

In addition, Petrol Vapour Recovery Stage II applies if:

  • you are refuelling motor vehicles and the petrol refuelling throughput is likely to exceed 500m3 or 500,000 litres in a year;

OR

  • you are refuelling motor vehicles and the petrol refuelling throughput is likely to exceed 100m3 or 100,000 litres in a year and your service station is located below permanent living quarters or working areas.

Stages I and Stage II explained

PVR Stages I and II are explained in the following diagram. Click on diagram to see the image in full.

PVR Stage I collects displaced vapour from underground storage tank as it is filled with petrol, and removes it to the tanker. Vapours displaced by the delivery of petrol from road tankers into storage at service stations must be returned through a vapour-tight connection line to the road tanker delivering the petrol.

PVR Stage II collects displaced vapour from customer vehicle tanks as they are filled with petrol and removes it to the underground storage tank, using a system on the petrol dispensing pump nozzle. This vapour recovery system should be designed to recover at least 85% of the displaced petrol vapours. 

Further guidance

PG Note 1/14 (06) - Unloading of Petrol into Storage at Petrol Stations   must be read by all petrol station operators. It provides the control techniques that should be used to legally operate your activity and that will allow you to hold a permit. These techniques are considered by SEPA to be the best way to prevent and/or reduce emissions from petrol service stations. 

Supplementary guidance 

Useful links

The Health and Safety Executive also have some useful guidance: