Government announces plans to cut petrol station pollution

Damaging pollution from petrol fumes are to be captured and recycled as fuel under air quality rules, which have come into effect.

Petrol fumes add to the formation of 'summer smog', a combination of ground level ozone, which can harm human health, vegetation and buildings, and particulate matter - PM10 - that is associated with premature mortality.

Under the Petrol Vapour Recovery stage II controls, every petrol station selling over 3.5 million litres of petrol a year has until January 1 2010 to fit equipment in order to capture the fumes.

The technology is expected to recover around 85% of the petrol fumes, which would otherwise escape into the atmosphere - around 16,000 tonnes per year in total.

Ben Bradshaw, Air Quality Minister, said: "Summer smogs are a too familiar feature in some of our cities. They are tangible evidence of the implications for quality of life if we allow levels of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere to go unchecked.

"The legislation which comes into effect this month is part of a package of measures designed to reduce those levels and cut the risks to human health and the environment."

Commenting on the costs, Mr Bradshaw said: "The impact of the costs involved has been considered carefully. We want a common sense balance between the likely benefits for air quality and protecting the viability of businesses. That's why we are confining the measure to larger service stations. Many smaller rural service stations have a vital role in providing other services to communities, and we have set the threshold for fitting the equipment to ensure they are protected."

(KMcA/EF)