The Gasoline Vapour Control Regulation requires the installation and use of gasoline vapour control systems at service stations, bulk gasoline storage plants, gasoline terminals and on truck cargo tankers. These systems are designed to prevent the escape of gasoline vapours into the atmosphere during the transfer of gasoline between fuel storage tanks and cargo tankers. If there are discrepancies between this guide and the regulation, the wording of the regulation takes precedence.
Gasoline in any storage tank evaporates to form vapours in the empty portion of the tank above the gasoline. When gasoline is delivered to a storage tank at a service station and the tank is not equipped with a gasoline vapour control system, the incoming liquid forces the vapour in the tank through a vent into the atmosphere.
With vapour control systems, the vapour exits the storage tank by the vapour return lines which send the vapour back to the cargo tanker truck. The tanker truck then returns the vapour to the bulk plant or terminal where the tanker receives a new load of gasoline. The gasoline loaded into the tanker forces the vapours that have been carried back from the service station into the bulk tank or "vapour recovery units" at the terminal. In the vapour recovery unit the vapour is condensed into liquid gasoline.
The term "vapour control system" refers to all the equipment and processes used to capture and recycle vapours generated during the bulk transfer of gasoline. It includes vapour balancing systems (VBS) used at service stations and bulk plants, and vapour recovery or destruction units used at terminals. It does not include equipment which may be used to capture vapours when gasoline is pumped into individual vehicles at service stations.
Without control systems, about 4,000 tonnes of gasoline vapours per year would be released into the atmosphere of the Lower Fraser Valley from the loading of gasoline to cargo tankers at terminals, and the loading of service station storage tanks. Voluntary installation ¹ of vapour control systems by major oil companies has already reduced emissions by approximately 2,500 tonnes in the Lower Fraser Valley. It has also led to the recovery of over 3 million litres of gasoline.
Gasoline is a mix of hundreds of chemicals. The vapours have an offensive odour and contain toxic and cancer causing components such as benzene. The vapours also contribute to smog formation. Recovering these gasoline vapours helps reduce air pollution and the health problems caused by air pollution. In particular, it helps reduce the risk to the health of station operators, customers, and near-by residents.
¹ Oil companies voluntarily completed installation in 1991 at stations in the GVRD. Air Quality Management Bylaw No. 725 made vapour recovery mandatory within the GVRD as of December 31, 1992.
The Gasoline Vapour Control Regulation may affect you if you are the owner, operator, or lessee of any of the following facilities:
Any premises dispensing gasoline into motor vehicle fuel tanks. This includes card locks, fleet refuelling stations and retail service stations as well as bulk plants that dispense gasoline into car, truck, or boat fuel tanks (see Requirements for Service Stations).
Storage and distribution facilities where gasoline is received by cargo tanker, and stored in bulk for later distribution by cargo tanker. A bulk plant that dispenses gasoline into car, truck or boat fuel tanks is defined as a service station for the purposes of this regulation. (See Requirements for Bulk Plants.)
Trucks or trailers used to carry bulk gasoline. (See Requirements for Cargo Tankers.)
Gasoline distribution facilities where gasoline is received by pipeline, railway or ship and distributed by cargo tanker trucks.
Whether or not the Gasoline Vapour Control Regulation applies to these facilities depends on the volumes of gasoline they handle or, in the case of cargo tankers, their storage capacity. The regulation does not apply to any facility that deals solely with aviation fuel or diesel. This guide does not include terminals. If there are questions or concerns regarding terminals, please direct them to one of the persons identified under Contacts.
The regulation applies only to those service stations, bulk plants, cargo tankers, and terminals ² located in the "Lower Fraser Valley" (with one exception relating to bulk plants). The regulation defines the Lower Fraser Valley (LFV) as that part of British Columbia bounded on the north by latitude 49° 30', on the east by longitude 121° 15', and on the west by longitude 123° 20'. The south boundary is the border with the United States.
This area includes all of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and most of the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). The FVRD is an amalgamation of the areas formerly known as the Dewdney-Alouette Regional District, the Central Fraser Valley Regional District, and the Fraser-Cheam Regional District. The City of Hope is within the LFV, but Boston Bar, Spuzzum, Yale and eastern Manning Park are not included.
The GVRD Air Quality Director administers the bylaw and permits, as well as this regulation within the GVRD and should be contacted if there are any questions or concerns (see Contacts). It is necessary to comply with the permit, bylaw and regulation. |
2 This guide excludes terminals because there are few of them and they are operated by major producers who are fully cognizant of the regulation requirements.
If you are the owner of a service station in the Lower Fraser Valley which meets any of the following criteria, you will need to install a VBS on each storage tank by May 1, 1996:
While there are some exceptions, these criteria involve most service stations in the LFV. Please report to the GVRD or Ministry of Environment (see Contacts) by July 1, 1996 regarding the installation and use of the system.
Please refer to the description of Lower Fraser Valley in the Introduction.
Vapour balancing is also not required (no exemption or notice necessary) for:
If a service station meets all of the above criteria, then the station may apply to be exempt from the regulation's requirements for a VBS. The service station will still be required to maintain records of volumes of gasoline sold.
Service station owners may apply for an exemption by writing a letter to the Ministry of Environment or the Greater Vancouver Regional District. See Contacts.
Station operators should provide the following information:
If the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD is satisfied that the conditions have been met, you will be issued an exemption for your service station. The exemption is good for up to 5 years and may be renewed. The exemption becomes invalid immediately upon selling more than 750,000 litres of gasoline in a calendar year.
When the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD grants the owner of a service station an exemption, the station will be provided with exemption tags for each gasoline storage tank fill pipe. The owner, operator or lessee must show the exempted status by attaching a tag to each gasoline storage tank fill pipe.
Starting May 1, 1997, cargo tanker trucks of over 21, 000 litres capacity will be prohibited from delivering more than 2,000 litres at a time to card locks, retail service stations, and fleet refuelling stations if the card lock, retail service station, or fleet refuelling station has more than two nozzles and does not have a valid exemption. This means that your supply of gasoline may stop. A fine is also possible.
Commercial service stations are normally supplied by large capacity tankers. However, a station with small storage tanks (less than 21,000 litres), which is supplied only by small cargo tankers not equipped with VBS does not need to install a VBS if the station owner notifies the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD. If this applies to you, please send a completed "Form 1" to the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD (see Contacts).
A leak test with a flammable gas detector needs to be done at least once after installation of the vapour balancing system. It is recommended that periodic leak tests be conducted.
Periodic visual checks are also important. For example, the flanges of the vapour recovery adapters should be inspected to make sure that they are not worn. If you notice an unusual smell of gasoline during tank loading, you should check that the cargo tanker is properly connecting the vapour balancing equipment. If in doubt, you should have an expert check your system for leaks.
All records must be certified in writing by a person who can verify the accuracy of the record. Records must be kept for at least 3 years and made available for inspection by an officer of the Ministry or the GVRD.
If your service station is within the Lower Fraser Valley but outside the GVRD and is required to have a VBS, you must send a letter by July 1, 1996 to the Manager verifying that the VBS is in place and operating at your station. Stations within the GVRD have already reported this information under the provisions of the Air Quality Management Bylaw No. 725. If the records which you are required to keep are not located on-site, the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD must be informed, in writing, as to where the records are kept. If you are a franchisee, the oil company whose name you operate under may be willing to send a letter to the Ministry of Environment or the GVRD on your behalf. For the address of the Manager or Air Quality Director please see "Contacts."
Locations outside the Lower Fraser Valley
Starting May 1, 1996 all bulk plants in the Province of British Columbia outside the LFV have a choice of either using a vapour control system or transferring gasoline via a submerged fill system
when loading cargo tankers.
Locations within the Lower Fraser Valley
Starting May 1, 1996, bulk plants located within the LFV and depending on the volume of gasoline received in any year since 1992, will be required to have VBS for loading
and unloading or only for unloading cargo tankers.
If a bulk plant received more than 4.5 million but less than 20 million litres of gasoline per calendar year, a VBS needs to be connected only for unloading cargo tankers.
If a bulk plant received more than 20 million litres of gasoline in any calendar year since 1992, or meets the following criteria:
VBS will be required for both loading and unloading of cargo tankers.
PLEASE NOTE: If a bulk plant dispenses gasoline directly into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles, then it is treated as a service station and must meet the requirements for a service station.
Owners of bulk plants must be tested for leaks at least once every 24 months using a combustible gas vapour detector. Also periodically, you should visually inspect the vapour balancing equipment to ensure flange connections are not worn and no leaks exist.
VBS at bulk plants must be tested for leaks at least once every 24 months using a combustible gas vapour detector. Also periodically, you should visually inspect the vapour balancing equipment to ensure flange connections are not worn and no leaks exist.
Owners, operators, or lessees of bulk plants in the LFV must adequately train any employees who use the VBS. Written instructions on how to properly connect the systems must be provided to both employees and cargo tanker truck operators using the systems.
All records must be certified by having a person who can verify the accuracy of the record print his or her name on the record and sign it. Records must be kept for at least 3 years and made available for inspection by officers of the Ministry or the GVRD.
Starting May 1, 1996, if a cargo tank has a VBS and is loading to a service station with VBS, the cargo tank operator must connect the systems.If a cargo tanker has a VBS and the station does not (even though it is required), the cargo tanker operator may still make a delivery until May 1, 1997. After that time, the operator must refuse to deliver gasoline to a station that is required to have a VBS but does not. For the interim period between May 1, 1996 and May 1, 1997, it is not an offence under the regulation for the cargo tanker operator to make the delivery, although the station owner is not in compliance.
Vapour balancing systems on cargo tankers, including all VBS hoses and fittings, must be tested for vapour tightness at least once every 12 months. Both pressure and vacuum tests must be made using the procedure detailed in the CGSB booklet called "Standard for Vapour Control Systems in Gasoline Distribution Networks" CAN/CGSB-3.1000-M91.
The most recent pressure and vacuum test pass dates must be marked in bold print on the front right hand side of the tank. The date should be marked in indelible, legible characters at least 50mm in size on self-adhesive stickers.
If the cargo tanker fails either the pressure or vacuum test, or both, deliveries of gasoline must stop within 48 hours of failing. The tanker may only resume deliveries once it has been repaired, and passed a second test.
Starting May 1, 1996 owners or operators of cargo tankers that are required to have a VBS, will need to keep records of the following:
All records must be certified by having a person who can verify the accuracy of the record print his or her name on the record and sign it. Records must be kept for at least 3 years and made available for inspection by officers of the Ministry and the GVRD.
Technical requirements for vapour balancing systems on service stations, bulk plants, and cargo tankers are specified in the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) booklet called "Standard for Vapour Control Systems in Gasoline Distribution Networks", CAN/CGSB-3.1000-M91. The booklet can be ordered from the CGSB by phoning 1-800-665-2472; by faxing 613-941-8705; or by writing to CGSB Sales Unit, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1G6.
For additional information, please also refer to the booklet titled "Environmental Code of Practice for Vapour Recovery in Gasoline Distribution Networks" published by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. A copy may be obtained from the Manager or Air Quality Director (see Contacts).
If your facility is in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, questions, notifications, applications, reports, and letters to the District Director should be addressed to:
GVRD
Policy & Planning Department
Regulation & Enforcement Division
4330 Kingsway
phone: (604) 436-6777
fax: (604) 436-6970
If your facility is in the Lower Fraser Valley, outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, questions, notifications, applications, reports, and letters to the Manager should be addressed to:
Regional Manager
Ministry of Environment
10470 - 152nd Street
Surrey B.C. V3R 0Y3
People who contravene the Gasoline Vapour Control Regulation or give false information to the Manager or Air Quality Director commit an offence and may be fined up to $100,000.
Form 1: Notification of Tank Size and Supplier (PDF: 11 KB/1 page)
Form 2: Mandatory Testing Report (PDF: 11 KB/1 page)
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