2016-04-19 P&E Committee - Item 1, Attachment 2 - Air Quality Assessment Report

3            Service Station Data
3.1          Introduction
Petrol station emissions can be readily estimated through use of emissions estimation equations. In
terms of emission calculations the following sources have been referenced in this assessment:

⚫ National Pollutant Inventory (Environment Australia);
⚫ Gasoline Service Stations Industrywide Risk Assessment Guidelines (Toxics Committee of the
    California Air Pollution Control Officers Association 1997);
⚫ AP42 Emissions Database (United States Environmental Protection Agency 1996); and
⚫ NSW Metropolitan Air Quality Study (MAQS) (New South Wales. Environment Protection Authority
    1996).

The estimated emissions have been used in an approved air dispersion model (Ausplume) to predict
pollutant concentrations at the development site. The following sections provide a summary of
service station emission sources, estimated emission rates, modelling methodology and results.


3.2          Sources of Emissions at Service Stations
3.2.1        Introduction
Emissions at service stations can occur from a number of different sources and activities. The
following sections consider these sources in the context of the assessment.

3.2.2        Bulk Filling
Service station fuel tanks are filled primarily by one of two methods in Australia (New South Wales.
Environment Protection Authority 1996):

⚫ splash filing; and
⚫ submerged loading.
Splash filling is essentially undertaken when the fill pipe from the road tanker is lowered part way
into the underground tank (above the level of the fuel). Fuel is then dispensed under gravity into the
underground tank. This type of filling creates significant turbulence and increased vapour/liquid
turbulence resulting in a high level of emissions to the atmosphere.

Submerged loading occurs when the road tanker fill pipe is lowered below the surface of the existing
fuel in the underground tank before filling commences. This results in approximately 36 % less
vapour loss then splash filling (New South Wales. Environment Protection Authority 1996).

When a vapour return system is used on the road tanker to return vapours to the tanker rather than
allowing them to be emitted to the atmosphere, emissions can be reduced substantially (in the order
of 95%). This type of mitigation is called Phase 1 vapour recovery. It is noted that the design of the
proposed service station is to incorporate Phase 1 vapour recovery.



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                            Synergy Property Partners Pty Ltd- Air Quality Assessment - Proposed Service Station, 123 Eumundi-Noosa Road, Noosaville
                                                                                                        /Network/Projects/4484/Reporting/4484 Report03.odt