Reducing Vehicle Refuelling Emissions to Improve Air Quality in the Sydney Region
Ground level ozone is formed in hot and sunny conditions when Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) react with nitrogen oxides. Ozone is associated with increased hospitalisations for respiratory diseases and increased mortality. Sydney exceeds the national ozone goal on between 10 and 20 days per year. VOC emissions attributable to passenger vehicles account for over 40% of regional VOC emissions. Refuelling emissions account for 7% of VOC emissions from passenger vehicles and 4% of total anthropogenic VOC emissions in the Sydney air shed. Passenger vehicle refuelling emission are growing at 1.5% per year and are the largest uncontrolled emission source for Australian passenger vehicles. This is despite the widespread adoption of technologies to control refuelling emissions in the US, Europe and Asia. To inform future decision-making on ozone management strategies, the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has evaluated technologies that reduces refuelling emissions. The recovery of petrol vapour at the petrol pump is one of the most significant single actions available to substantially reduce VOC emissions in the Sydney region. At a cost of less than ¼ of a cent per litre of petrol sold, vapour recovery at the petrol pump could reduce 5,000 tonnes of VOC per year in the Sydney region. This is a significant portion of the 34,000 tonnes per year reduction required for Sydney to comply with the national ozone goal.