The NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has released new draft guidelines for managing run-off from service-station forecourts.
The guidelines are the fruit of extensive discussions between the NSW EPA and the fuel retail industry.
They’re a response to the fact that local councils in NSW interpret environmental legislation very differently. Some industry commentators argue this has created a lack of consistency in the way councils approve or reject development works at service stations (for both new works and upgrades).
The draft guidelines are now available for stakeholder comment. There will a consultation workshop in Sydney on November 8, 2018.
Environmental risk
Managing run-off from forecourts is one of the key areas of risk of environmental contamination from service-station operations.
Service stations have tended to manage forecourt run-off with blind pits and sumps. They regularly drain the systems and dispose of the contents under an approved Trade Waste licence.
These systems need a lot of ongoing maintenance. Fuel operators regularly have to clear and dispose of liquid waste to prevent pollution during intense rainfall and/or fuel spills. Otherwise, hydrocarbon-laden water can leak into storm-water systems, leading to environmental damage and financial penalties.
A growing number of operators manage these risks with ‘multi-stage’ systems that separate the water from the fuel-oil mix.
“These multi-stage separator systems provide superior safety and environmental performance compared with traditional practices”, ACAPMA CEO Mark McKenzie said.
“Unfortunately, confusion over interpretation of existing environmental legislation by some local councils has resulted in the use of these superior systems being blocked during planning approval processes for new sites or major site upgrades.”
New EPA guidelines
To resolve this issue, ACAPMA produced a ‘Best Practice Guideline for Management of Forecourt Run’ in 2017.
The guideline largely resolved the issue in most Australia states and territories. But the problem has persisted in NSW owing to complex tensions with the NSW EPA’s own guidance.
So ACAPMA has been working with other stakeholders to encourage the NSW EPA to issue revised guidance.
Last week, the NSW EPA did so. It’s called ‘Draft Practice Note entitled: Managing Run-Off from Service Station Forecourts’.
The EPA’s new guideline is now the subject of a NSW EPA consultation with the fuel industry and local councils.
The EPA is calling for submissions on this draft guideline by November 30, 2018. Email them directly to upssreg@epa.nsw.gov.au
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