New South Wales mandates installation of vapor recovery systems in phases

The state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia is ahead of all other states in introducing regulations requiring services stations to capture toxic petrol vapors at service stations and remains the only state in Australia to have introduced regulations for petrol vapor recovery at the bowser when motorists refuel.
Chief Environmental Regulator, Mark Gifford, said that the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) had been overseeing the progressive upgrading of up to 1,300 petrol stations across NSW in order to significantly reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds and improve local air quality around petrol stations.
“Petrol fumes contain chemicals that can be dangerous to people’s health and detrimental to both local and regional air quality. The installation of vapor recovery systems at service stations will capture up to 5,000 ton per year of smog-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants,” Gifford said.
“All service stations in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and Central Coast, apart from the smallest, are being required to have vapor recovery technology installed.
“The installation of these systems will result in improved air quality for the people of NSW.”
Gifford said that Stage One (VR1) vapor recovery captures petrol vapors displaced from petrol storage tanks at service stations during refilling operations, while Stage Two (VR2) captures vapors displaced from vehicle fuel tanks when vehicles are being refueled. NSW is the only state in Australia to introduce VR2.
“Together these technologies can capture an estimated 95% of petrol fumes before they enter the air, taking away both the smell and the health risk to the public.
“By January 2014 service stations from Newcastle to Shellharbour and west to the Blue Mountains that dispense more than 12 million liters of petrol per year are required to install VR2 technology. Together these larger stations dispense more than half the region’s petrol so, after January 2014, vapors from most of the petrol supplied in NSW’s most populated areas will be captured.
“Smaller service stations that dispense between 3.5 and 12 million liters of petrol a year have until January 2017 to install the technology.
“The EPA has written to all relevant service stations reminding them of the upcoming deadline and the requirements for VR2 installation and is keeping close watch to ensure the timetable is met.”
Gifford said the EPA had developed the requirements in close consultation with industry to ensure the continued improvement of Sydney’s air quality, without significant disruption to businesses or consumers.
“The investment by industry in vapor recovery technology is estimated to be more than A$100 million (US$91 million), with Stage 2 Vapor Recovery technology estimated to cost any where between A$20,000 (US$18,333) and A$450,000 (US$412,495) per service station to install.
“We have worked closely with the service station industry to implement these significant changes and to allow the industry time to install the necessary equipment, all without significantly impacting petrol prices.”
(June 12, 2013)