Vehicle refinishing products
What you must do
If your business repaints or resprays road vehicles, or vehicle parts, and uses, in any 12-month period:
- one tonne or more of organic solvent in Northern Ireland, you must have a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit from the NIEA
- two tonnes or more in Scotland, you must have an EASR registration from SEPA
If you have an authorisation you must comply with its conditions, which may require you to reduce or control your solvent emissions.
Contact your environmental regulator
In Northern Ireland, you can find technical guidance, a model permit application and model permit in Process Guidance Note 6/34b: 'Respraying of Road Vehicles'. Even if you don't require a PPC permit, this guidance note can help prevent you from being prosecuted for causing pollution.
In Scotland, see – SEPA: Road vehicle respraying
If you manufacture, import, distribute or sell vehicle refinishing products you must comply with controls on the number of solvents (VOCs) that these products contain.
If your refinishing products contain substances such as organic solvents and isocyanates, you must dispose of the products and their containers as hazardous/special waste.
Good practice
- Regularly review your refinishing activities, including your choice of refinishing products and equipment, to see whether you can reduce costs and environmental impacts.
- Use high volume low pressure (HVLP) paint guns to increase coating efficiency.
- Carry out all spraying in a booth which is kept under negative pressure during spraying.
- Ensure that you do not allow odour or droplets from vehicle refinishing products to escape and cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
Noise, odour and other nuisances
- Change filters regularly.
- Regularly clean and maintain your equipment. This will reduce the risk of causing a nuisance through odours and hygiene problems, and minimise the environmental impact of your equipment.
- Use enclosed gun-wash cabinets to clean your spray guns. This can cut your use of cleaning solvents and reduce emissions into the atmosphere.
- You should put lids back on waste solvent containers and keep waste rags in containers. This will keep solvent releases to a minimum.
- Make sure that you store vehicle refinishing products and equipment so that they do not cause pollution.