Home » Initiatives » Clean Air Healthy Communities program » Stage 2 Vapour Recovery

Stage 2 Vapour Recovery

Image courtesy of ELAFLEX Tankstellentechnik, Hamburg / Germany.

Vapour Recovery reduces the amount of toxic and smog-forming pollutants released at service stations.

Service stations emit a large amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region. This pollution is created by petrol vapours escaping from vehicle fuel tanks and underground petrol storage tanks at service stations. Petrol evaporates inside these tanks to create vapours which fill the empty space above the fuel. As a vehicle or storage tank is refuelled, these vapours are pushed out by the incoming petrol and escape through the top of the vehicle filler pipe or storage tank vents. Once in the atmosphere, petrol vapours contribute to the formation of smog in our cities as well as localised air pollution immediately adjacent to service stations. Both types of pollution can directly affect our health.

Vapour Recovery is a clean technology which drastically cuts the amount of these vapours escaping into the air.

Petrol vapour released from underground storage tanks at service stations is being addressed by Stage 1 Vapour Recovery (VR1). This has been in place across metropolitan Sydney since 1986. Petrol vapour is recovered by road tankers as they fill underground tanks, as shown on the right in the diagram below. VR1 is currently saving about 2,600 tonnes of VOC emissions from service stations each year. Once the area of coverage is expanded, it will further save up to 850 tonnes more a year.

Image courtesy of ELAFLEX Tankstellentechnik, Hamburg / Germany.

Vapour Recovery reduces the amount of toxic and smog-forming pollutants released at service stations.

Vapour Recovery is a clean technology which drastically cuts the amount of these vapours escaping into the air.

With and without Stage 1 Vapour Recovery

Stage 2 Vapour Recovery (VR2) controls petrol vapours when a vehicle refuels. It uses a vapour pump and special nozzle (shown) which directs vapours from the car petrol tank back through the hose and into the underground tank.

This reduces petrol vapour emissions by up to 95%. The diagram below shows what happens to petrol vapours during vehicle refuelling with and without VR2 technology.

With and without Stage 1 Vapour Recovery

This reduces petrol vapour emissions by up to 95%. The diagram below shows what happens to petrol vapours during vehicle refuelling with and without VR2 technology.

With and without Stage 2 Vapour Recovery

The implementation of VR2 is underway in the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region.

Source: Koch W (1998) Refueling Vapor Recovery in the United States. Petroleum Equipment & Technology.

With and without Stage 2 Vapour Recovery

The implementation of VR2 is underway in the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region.

Source: Koch W (1998) Refueling Vapor Recovery in the United States. Petroleum Equipment & Technology.

Compliance dates for the introduction of VR2

The VR2 compliance date for new and modified sites in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast is 2010. VR2 compliance dates for existing sites in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast are:

2014 for the largest service stations in metro areas (greater than 12 million litres in sales p.a.)
2017 for medium sized service stations in Sydney only (between 3.5 and 12 million litres in sales p.a.)
Small service stations (less than 3.5 million litres in sales p.a.) are exempt unless they undergo major refurbishment.

Once fully implemented, VR2 will improve air quality by saving about 5,300 tonnes of VOC emissions each year in the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region.

2014 for the largest service stations in metro areas (greater than 12 million litres in sales p.a.)
2017 for medium sized service stations in Sydney only (between 3.5 and 12 million litres in sales p.a.)
Small service stations (less than 3.5 million litres in sales p.a.) are exempt unless they undergo major refurbishment.

Once fully implemented, VR2 will improve air quality by saving about 5,300 tonnes of VOC emissions each year in the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Stage 2 Vapour Recovery (VR2) for?

Service station owners and operators will need to comply with the VR2 program.

What's it about?

VR2 reduces petrol vapours during vehicle refuelling at service stations by up to 95%. Once fully implemented, it will save 5,300 tonnes of VOC emissions entering our air each year.

How does it work?

Petrol bowsers are fitted with a vapour pump and special nozzle which feed vapours coming out of the vehicle fuel tank back through the hose and into the underground fuel storage tank.

What's the timeframe for VR2?

Compliance in the NSW greater metropolitan region is required by 2010, 2013 or 2016, depending on the size and location of a service station.

How can I get involved?

Look out for participating service stations who display information from the Office of Environment and Heritage. This will start to happen in the next two years and become more widespread as the compliance dates are reached.

[top of page]

Where can I get more information?

Standards and best practice guidelines for vapour recovery at petrol service stations is available here (PDF, 540kb) and explains the context for the expansion of vapour recovery in the NSW greater metropolitan region. You can also phone the OEH Information Centre on 131 555.

[top of page]