Environmental Protection (Recovery of Vapours from the Transfer of Organic Liquids) Regulations 1995

The occupier of any premises on which there is an underground fuel tank must ensure that, when organic liquids are being transferred to the underground fuel tank from a delivery tank, the underground fuel tank is fitted with the equipment referred to in subregulations (2), (3) and (4).

The following equipment is required to be fitted under subregulation (1) —

a coupling on the fill pipe that makes a liquid‑tight connection with the transfer hose on the delivery tank;

a vapour transfer system through which vapours displaced by the transfer of liquids into the tank are returned to the delivery tank being unloaded by means of —

a vapour return line of vapour‑tight construction that has an internal diameter of not less than 65% of the minimum internal diameter of the fill pipe; and

a coupling on the vapour return line that makes a vapour‑tight connection with the relevant fitting on the vapour return hose connected to the delivery tank, and which closes automatically when disconnected;

in the case of a tank that is filled by the operation of gravity, an overfill protection system designed to stop the flow of organic liquid into the tank before there is insufficient space in that tank to receive the contents of the transfer hose on the delivery tank.

The diameter referred to in subregulation (2)(b)(i) does not apply to that section of the vapour return line that is upstream of the first fitting or change in direction from the underground fuel tank which section —

in the case of an underground fuel tank installed before 1 January 1994 in which the vapour return line is taken from the atmospheric vent, may have an internal diameter of less than 50% of the internal diameter of the fill pipe, if the internal diameter of that section is as large as practicable having regard to the internal diameter of the existing vent connection;

in any other case, must have an internal diameter of not less than 50% of the internal diameter of the existing vent connection.

The equipment referred to in subregulation (2) may be used to serve more than one underground fuel tank on the same premises if cross contamination is not likely to adversely affect the use of the contents of any of the underground fuel tanks or the safe operation of the delivery tank.

The occupier of any premises on which there is an underground fuel tank must ensure that on each opening to the underground fuel tank there is a hatch or some other form of cover that is vapour‑tight when closed.