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Who Does What

Retailers are responsible for

  • Selling only paint products that meet the VOC content requirements (if in doubt, ask your supplier).
  • Selling and taking into stock from 1 January 2008 only paint products that are correctly individually labelled and meet VOC content requirements.
  • Notifying the Environmental Protection Agency if they receive or are offered any unlabelled or product that does not meet the VOC content requirements.
  • Acting in accordance with instructions from the EPA where any unlabelled or non-compliant product is received.
  • Selling VOC-content compliant paint (manufactured before 1 January 2007 and supplied before 31 December 2007, where no individual label is applied) only with an approved shelf-edge label.
  • Encouraging all players in their sector to comply.
  • Providing information to the enforcement authorities.

Manufacturers/Distributors and Wholesalers role is responsible for

  • Ensuring that all their products meet compliance requirements, both solvent-content and correctly individually labelled.
  • Ensuring only compliant products, correctly individually labelled are supplied to retailers.
  • Providing compliance information to customers.
  • Providing information to the enforcement authorities.

The public and private sector are responsible for

  • Green Procurement – only purchasing compliant products.
  • Reporting to the enforcement authorities any retailers suspected of offering unlabelled non-compliant products.

The Local Authorities role

The Regulations state the local authorities are the competent bodies for the enforcement of the Regulations.

  • As Competent Bodies enforcing Regulations in their functional areas, establishing a register of relevant operators (manufacturers, producers, suppliers, wholesalers and major retailers) in their functional areas.
  • Engaging with the OEE/EEN Decorative Paints Group.
  • Carry out, or cause to be carried out, any necessary paint product inspections and legal action as required, or as directed by the EPA.
  • Maintain records and provide information to the EPA.

The EPA's role

The Decorative Paints Regulations (S.I. 564 of 2012) designates the EPA as the competent authority for enforcement. The EPA is responsible for the establishment and supervision of monitoring programmes in Ireland. Its role is to provide guidance and advice to the local authorities. View EPA published guidance for vehicle refinishing operations.

  • As Competent Authority, leading the enforcement of the Compliant Paint Product aspects of the Regulations.
  • Engaging with all stakeholders to ensure that the Regulations are correctly implemented.
  • Carrying out, or causing to be carried out, paint product/label inspections and taking legal action where deemed necessary.
  • Supervising, and where necessary, directing enforcement actions of local authorities.
  • Promoting knowledge of, and compliance with, the Regulations as well as green procurement.
  • Reporting to the Commission on enforcement activities within the state.

Department of Environment, Climate and Communications are responsible for:

  • Providing leadership and oversight to the implementation of the regulations.
  • Providing the necessary resources to enable the EPA and Local Authorities to fulfil their roles.
  • Introducing amendments to Regulations if necessary.

Learn More

View all Deco-paints documentation