The pressure is growing on non compliant bodyshops to change their practices and become certified by their local authority. Following the changes to environmental regulations governing the accident repair sector at the start of the year, further legislations will be introduced imminently with a provision for fixed penalty notices, while local authorities will become more active with their inspection regimes. 

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has been working closely with the EPA to push new additional legislation through the Dial. This is expected to be signed off early in the New Year and will introduce fixed payment notices, or on the spot fines of up to €1,000, for non-compliant bodyshops and paint suppliers. 

The EPA has also run a very successful workshop for all local authorities in relation to the enforcement of the revised Decorative Paints Regulations. It gave the relevant local authority representatives the opportunity to review the changes in the requirements of the regulations and to meet the new independent assessors. There was also a practical focus to the workshop with sessions on product labelling and inspection procedures and site visits to two bodyshops in Dublin.

Full details of the revised regulations and the new panel of Approved Assessors can be found at www.decopaints.ie.