§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis small service stations will be excluded from the requirements of stage 1 VOC controls for petrol delivery; and when such controls will be introduced. [41192]
§ Mr. ClappisonUnder the stage 1 of the EC petrol vapour recovery directive, member states are allowed to grant a derogation from the requirements of the directive to those service stations with an annual throughput of 100–500m3/year—those below this threshold are exempt in any case—which are located in a geographical area or on a site where vapour emissions are unlikely to contribute significantly to environmental or health problems. The implementation date for all other existing service stations of this size is 2004 and as such there is a nine-year delay before the derogation takes affect.
406WMy Department is consulting industry and other interested parties on how this derogation should be applied.