S.I. No. 212/1988:

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (BENZENE CONTENT OF LEADED PETROL) REGULATIONS, 1988.

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (BENZENE CONTENT OF LEADED PETROL) REGULATIONS, 1988.

The Minister for the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972) and for the purpose of giving further effect to the provisions of Council Directive of 20th March, 1985, No. 85/210/EEC¹, which relate to the lead content of petrol, hereby makes the following Regulations:

¹O.J. No. L96, 3 April, 1985.

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Benzene Content of Leaded Petrol) Regulations, 1988.

(2) These Regulations, the European Communities (Lead Content of Petrol) Regulations, 1985 ( S.I. No. 378 of 1985 ) and the European Communities (Lead Content of Petrol) Regulations, 1986 ( S.I. No. 374 of 1986 ) may be cited together as the European Communities (Lead Content of Petrol) Regulations, 1985 to 1988 and shall be construed together as one.

2. On or after the 1st day of October, 1989, a person shall not market leaded petrol in the State unless its benzene content, established in the manner set out in article 4, does not exceed 5.0% by volume.

3. A person who contravenes article 2 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

4. (1) The benzene content of leaded petrol shall be determined by the method laid down in the document issued by the American Society for Testing and Materials under reference ASTM D. 2267 (edition approved in the year 1978) using gas chromatographic determination with polar column and internal standard.

(2) The results of individual measurements under this article shall be interpreted on the basis of the method described in International Standard ISO 4259 entitled "Petroleum products--Determination and application of precision data in relation to methods of tests", published by the International Standards Organisation in the year 1979.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment

this 25th day of August, 1988.

PADRAIG FLYNN,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations give effect to part of the EC Council Directive of 20th March, 1985, on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the lead content of petrol. The Regulations lay down the values prescribed by the Directive for the benzene content of leaded petrol marketed on or after 1st October, 1989.