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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2005 No. 2773

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005

  Made 9th October 2005 
  Laid before Parliament 11th October 2005 
  Coming into force 1st November 2005 

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972[1], being a Minister designated[2] for the purpose of that subsection in relation to the control of air pollution, makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and extent
     1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 and come into force on 1st November 2005.

    (2) With the exception of regulation 9, which extends to England and Wales only, these Regulations extend to the whole of the United Kingdom.

Definitions
    
2. In these Regulations—

Scope
    
3. —(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below, these Regulations apply to the paints, varnishes, vehicle refinishing products and subcategories as defined in Schedule 1 to these Regulations ("the relevant products").

    (2) These Regulations do not apply to relevant products that are to be used in a country or territory outside the customs territory of the European Community.

    (3) These Regulations shall not apply to products which are sold for exclusive use in an activity—

    (4) In this regulation—

Limitations on marketing paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products
     4. —(1) Subject to regulation 10, it shall not be lawful to place on the market any relevant product after the dates laid down for that product in Schedule 2 to these Regulations[6], unless that product—

    (2) In determining compliance with the VOC content limit values set out in Schedule 2, the analytical methods set out in Schedule 3[7] apply.

    (3) For relevant products to which solvents or other components containing solvents have to be added for the product to be ready for use, the limit values in Schedule 2 shall apply to the VOC content of the product in its ready for use condition.

Labelling
     5. —(1) A label referred to in regulation 4(1)(b) must indicate—

    (2) Paragraph (1) is without prejudice to any requirement in any other enactment that requires a relevant product to be marked or labelled.

Designation of competent authority
    
6. —(1) The Secretary of State is designated as the competent authority for the purposes of Article 5 (responsibility for fulfilment of obligations) of the Directive.

    (2) In exercising her responsibilities under these Regulations, insofar as relevant responsibilities have been devolved to them the Secretary of State shall consult—

Monitoring and enforcement
    
7. —(1) The Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a programme of monitoring for the purpose of verifying compliance with these Regulations.

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3) the Secretary of State shall enforce these Regulations.

    (3) Nothing in paragraph (2) above authorises the Secretary of State to prosecute for an offence under these Regulations in Scotland.

    (4) The Secretary of State may delegate any or all of her functions under this regulation and may make such delegation to such extent (including geographical extent), and subject to such conditions, as she may determine.

    (5) After making any delegation under paragraph (4), the Secretary of State shall forthwith give notice of the delegation, including its extent and where further details, including any conditions which the delegation is subject to, can be obtained, as follows—

    (6) The enforcement provisions in relation to Northern Ireland are set out in Schedule 4[8].

Offences
     8. —(1) It shall be an offence to contravene regulation 4(1).

    (2) Where an offence under paragraph (1) above, which has been committed by a body corporate, is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to have been attributable to, any neglect on the part of a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, shall be liable to prosecution.

    (3) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, paragraph (2) shall apply in relation to the acts or defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

    (4) Where an offence under paragraph (1) has been committed by a Scottish Partnership and has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to the neglect of, a partner or a person who was purporting to act as such, that person as well as the partnership is guilty of the offence.

    (5) Where a person charged with an offence under this regulation claims that the product was produced before the appropriate date in Schedule 2, it is for that person to prove that the product was produced before that date and had not been placed on the market for more than 12 months following the appropriate date applicable to that product.

    (6) The maximum penalty on conviction for an offence under paragraph (1) shall be—

Amendment to the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000
    
9. The definition of "vehicle refinishing" in paragraph (2) of Section 7 (SED Activities) of Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Activities, Installations and Mobile Plant) to the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 shall be amended as respects England and Wales by deleting sub-paragraph (a) (the coating of road vehicles).

Transitional provisions
    
10. Any relevant product which—

may be placed on the market for a period of 12 months following the dates applicable to that product in Schedule 2.


Ben Bradshaw
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

9th October 2005



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 3(1)

     1. —(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, "paints and varnishes" means products listed in the sub-categories below, excluding aerosols. They are coatings applied to buildings, their trim and fittings, and associated structures for decorative, functional and protective purpose.

    (2) The sub-categories referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—

     2. —(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, "vehicle refinishing products" means products listed in the sub-categories below. They are used for the coating of road vehicles as defined in Directive 70/156/EEC[9], or part of them, carried out as part of vehicle repair, conservation or decoration outside of manufacturing installations.

    (2) The sub-categories referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—

    (3) In this Schedule—



SCHEDULE 2
Regulations 4 and 5


A. MAXIMUM VOC CONTENT LIMIT VALUES FOR PAINTS AND VARNISHES




           Product Subcategory Type (*) Phase I (g/l (**))(from 1.1.2007) Phase II (g/l (**))(from 1.1.2010)
a Interior matt walls and ceilings (Gloss ≤25@60°) WB

SB

75

400

30

30

b Interior glossy walls and ceilings (Gloss >25@60°) WB

SB

150

400

100

100

c Exterior walls of mineral substrate WB

SB

75

450

40

430

d Interior/exterior trim and cladding paints for wood and metal WB

SB

150

400

130

300

e Interior/exterior trim varnishes and woodstains, including opaque woodstains WB

SB

150

500

130

400

f Interior and exterior minimal build woodstains WB

SB

150

700

130

700

g Primers WB

SB

50

450

30

350

h Binding primers WB

SB

50

750

30

750

i One-pack performance coatings WB

SB

140

600

140

500

j Two-pack reactive performance coatings for specific end use such as floors WB

SB

140

550

140

500

k Multi-coloured coatings WB

SB

150

400

100

100

l Decorative effect coatings WB

SB

300

500

200

200


(*)"solvent-borne coatings (SB)" means coatings the viscosity of which is adjusted by the use of organic solvent; and

"water-borne coatings (WB)" means coatings the viscosity of which is adjusted by the use of water;

where "coatings" has the meaning defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1.

(**) g/l ready to use



B. MAXIMUM VOC CONTENT LIMIT VALUES FOR VEHICLE REFINISHING PRODUCTS

           Product Subcategory Coatings VOC g/l (*)

(1.1.2007)

a Preparatory and cleaning Preparatory

Pre-cleaner

850

200

b Bodyfiller/stopper All types 250
c Primer Surfacer/filler and general (metal) primer

Wash primer

540

780

d Topcoat All types 420
e Special finishes All types 840

(*) g/l of ready for use product. Except for subcategory (a) any water content of the product ready for use should be discounted.



SCHEDULE 3
Regulation 4(2)


METHODS REFERRED TO IN REGULATION 3(3)


Parameter Unit Test
                      Method Date of publication
VOC content g/l ISO 11890-2) 2002
VOC content where reactive diluents are present g/l ASTMD 2369) 2003



SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 7(6)


ENFORCEMENT POWERS AND RELATED OFFENCES IN NORTHERN IRELAND




PART 1

POWERS OF ENTRY

     1. An authorised person may, on production (if so required) of his authority, exercise any of the powers specified in paragraph 2 for the purpose of determining whether any provision of these Regulations is being, or has been, complied with.

     2. The powers of an authorised person are—

     3. The powers which under paragraphs 1 and 2 are conferred in relation to any premises for the purpose of enabling an enforcing authority to determine whether any provision of these Regulations is being, or has been, complied with shall include power, in order to obtain the information on which that determination may be made, to install, keep or maintain monitoring and other apparatus there.

     4. In any case where it is proposed to enter any premises used for residential purposes, any entry by virtue of this Part shall only be effected—

     5. No answer given by a person in pursuance of a requirement imposed under paragraph 2(g) shall be admissible in evidence against that person in any proceedings.

     6. Nothing in this Part shall be taken to compel the production by any person of a document of which he would on grounds of legal professional privilege be entitled to withhold production on an order for discovery in an action in the High Court.

     7. Nothing in section 98 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (c. 9) shall apply to powers conferred on an authorised person by a district council under this Part.



PART II

OFFENCES

     8. It is an offence for a person intentionally to obstruct an authorised person in the exercise of his powers or duties.

     9. It is an offence for a person, without reasonable excuse—

     10. A person guilty of an offence under paragraph 8 or 9 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.



PART III

DEFINITIONS

     11. In this Schedule—



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations are made in implementation of Directive 2004/42/EC ("the VOCs in Paints Directive") on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products, and amending Directive 1999/13/EC (the Solvent Emissions Directive).

The Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints Directive lays down maximum content limit values for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which apply in two phases for paints and varnishes, that is to say, from 1st January 2007 for the first phase limits, and from 1st January 2010 for the tighter, second phase limits. These limits are set out in Part A of Annex II to the Directive. The directive lays down a single set of content limit values for VOCs in vehicle refinishing products in Part B of Annex 2, which apply from 1st January 2007. Annex II is set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

Regulation 3 applies the regulations to the products covered by Annex I of the VOCs in Paints Directive, unless they are for use outside the European Community or are for uses regulated by the regulations implementing Directive 1999/13/EC.

Regulation 4 limits the marketing of paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products, listed in Schedule 1, unless they have a VOC (volatile organic compound) content which does not exceed the limit values set out in Schedule 2 by the dates set out in that Schedule. Schedule 3 sets out the analytical methods to be applied in determining the VOC content of products.

Regulation 5 requires that products in Schedule 1 carry a label concerning the maximum VOC content of that product in a ready to use condition.

Regulation 6 designates the Secretary of State as the competent authority for the United Kingdom for ensuring fulfilment of the obligations of Directive 2004/42/EC, and requires that she consult the devolved administrations as necessary in the exercise of these responsibilities.

Regulation 7 provides that it is the Secretary of State's function to enforce the Regulations (though not to prosecute in Scotland, where the procurator fiscal prosecutes), and requires the Secretary of State to establish and maintain a programme of monitoring for the purpose of determining whether the Regulations are being complied with. The Secretary of State may delegate her monitoring and enforcement functions to others to such extent as she determines, but must publish appropriate notice of any such delegation. Except in Northern Ireland, section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 provides powers for persons authorised by (among other authorities) the Secretary of State to establish whether the regulations, being pollution control enactments, are being complied with and to obtain evidence necessary to take enforcement action. These powers include the power to enter premises and to take samples, which may be tested. Special provisions in relation to enforcement powers in Northern Ireland are set out in Schedule 4.

Regulation 8 creates offences of contravening regulation 4, and prescribes penalties. Directors and similar officers of bodies corporate are liable to conviction in certain circumstances where the offence is attributable to their fault. An evidential burden rests on a person relying on the transitional provision in regulation 10 to show when the product was produced. The maximum penalties are a fine on conviction on indictment, and on summary conviction, a fine of the statutory maximum, which, at the time of making these Regulations, is £5,000.

Regulation 9, which applies to England and Wales only, amends Section 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. This in turn gives effect to the implementation of the Solvent Emissions Directive by the Solvent Emissions (England and Wales) Regulations 2004. Regulation 9 deletes from the scope of the 2000 Regulations one category of "vehicle refinishing" which has been removed by Article 13 of Directive 2004/42/EC. Similar amendments will be made by the devolved administrations to the relevant regulations applicable to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Regulation 10 provides transitional provisions. A product to which these Regulations apply may be placed on the market for 12 months after the appropriate date specified above if it was produced before that date.

The EN standards referred to in paragraph 1e) and f) of Schedule 1, may be obtained from any of the sales outlets operated by the British Standards Institute or the BSI via their website –
http://www.bsi-global.com/index.xalter. The ISO standards referred to in paragraph 1e) of Schedule 1 and in Schedule 3, may be obtained from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) via their website - http://www.iso.org/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage. The ASTM standard referred to in Schedule 3, can be obtained from ASTM International via their website - http://www.astm.org.

A full Regulatory Impact Assessment and a transposition note has been prepared in connection with the amendments made by these Regulations, and placed in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies are obtainable from Ian Oldfield, Air and Environmental Quality Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Room 4/G15, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE (email: [email protected]).


Notes:

[1] 1972 c.68.back

[2] S.I. 1988/785. In so far as these regulations deal with matters that are not reserved matters in Scotland, the power of the Secretary of State to make regulations in relation to those matters, in or as regards Scotland is preserved by section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998.back

[3] S.I.2000/1973 as amended by the Solvent Emissions (England and Wales) Regulations 2004, S.I. 2004/107, which implement in England and Wales Directive 1999/13/EC, O.J. L85, 23.3.1999, p.1 (and cover new and existing solvent emissions installations or SED installations and SED activities), as amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1882/2003, O.J. L2884, 31.10.2003, p.1. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.back

[4] S.S.I. 2000/323 as amended by the Solvent Emissions (Scotland) Regulations 2004, S.S.I. 2004/126 and the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 2005, S.S.I. 2005/340, which implement in Scotland Directive 1999/13/EC, O.J. L85, 23.3.1999, p.1 (and cover new and existing solvent emissions installations or SED installations and SED activities), as amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1882/2003, O.J. L2884, 31.10.2003, p.1. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.back

[5] S.R. 2003 No.46 as amended by the Solvent Emissions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 S.R. 2004 No.36 and the Pollution Prevention and Control (Amendment) and Connected Provisions (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 S.R.2005 No.285 which implement in Northern Ireland Directive 1999/13/EC. O.J.L85,23.3.1999.p1 (and cover new and existing solvent emissions installations or SED installations and SED activities)as amended by Regulation (EC) No.1882/2003,O.J. L2884,31.10.2003 p.1. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.back

[6] Schedule 2 sets out the maximum VOC content limit values in Annex II to the Directive.back

[7] Schedule 3 sets out the analytical methods in Annex III to the Directive and referred to in Article 3.1 of that Directive.back

[8] In England, Wales and Scotland, the enforcement powers in section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 apply.back

[9] O.J. L42, 23.2.1970, p.1, as last amended by Directive 2004/3/EC, O.J. L49, 19.2.2004, p.36.back

[10] 1954 c.33 (N.I.).back



ISBN 0 11 073431 9


 © Crown copyright 2005

Prepared 14 October 2005


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