THIS WEEK IN 1992: Warnings over fumes from filling stations

Portsmouth was poised to become possibly the first city in the country to take legal action against stations which allowed dangerous fumes to escape from their premises.

The move followed concern about high levels of potentially dangerous benzine gas found near some of them.

Members of the city council’s environment committee instructed chief environmental health officer Alan Higgins to ask all petrol operators to install special equipment to prevent the gas escaping when underground petrol tanks were filled.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If the request was not met ‘within a reasonable period’ the committee unanimously approved a recommendation to consider legal action under powers granted by the new Environmental Protection Act.

The worrying levels of benzine were discovered during a traffic pollution monitoring exercise.

Environment committee chairman Alex Bentley said: ‘More pressure must be brought to bear on filling stations which allow benzine fumes to escape.

‘I understand we could be the first city to take action, but I am sure others will follow our lead.’

Related topics: