ERA is in the process of registering mobile road tankers and issuing environmental permits for terminals and service stations, handling petrol. The aim of this is to limit VOC emissions from activities related to the handling of petrol.
Directive 1994/63/EC was issued in December 1994 with the aim of reducing VOC emissions from operations, installations, vehicles and vessels used for storage, loading and transport of petrol form one terminal to another or from a terminal to a service station. Directive 2009/126/EC was issued in October of 2009 with the aim of reducing the amount of VOC emissions during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations. Directive 2014/99/EU amends, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Directive 2009/126/EC on Stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations.
The above directives were transposed into Maltese law through the Control of Volatile Organic Compound – VOC Emissions (Storage and Distribution of Petrol from Terminals to Service Stations) Regulations, 2016 (S.L. 549.52). This regulation obliges the registration of road tankers and the permitting of terminals and service stations.