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New Oil Storage Regulations
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 required all above-ground oil storage containers in excess of 200 litres capacity at commercial, industrial and institutional premises to have secondary containment by 1st September 2005.
Additionally, oil storage containers in excess of 3,500 litres capacity at domestic premises must also have had secondary containment by 1st September 2005.
The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing these regulations throughout England. Should your oil storage facilities not meet the regulations Geo. Broughton & Co and its sister company Complete Tank Solutions Ltd can provide advice and guidance to assist you with compliance. However, if you fail to act, the Agency may serve a notice requiring that the facilities be brought up to standard. Failure to comply with a notice is a criminal offence and may result in prosecution.
The reason for the introduction of this legislation was an attempt at reducing the number of pollution incidents arising from leaks from bunded tanks, inadequate storage facilities and equipment, vandalism poor management and human error etc.
The term "oil storage container" includes tanks, barrels, drums, mobile bowsers and intermediate bulk containers.
Visit the Environment Agency website for full information: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
The Role of the Oil Distributor
Oil distributors also have a duty of care to ensure that they do not contribute towards any pollution. Therefore if an oil tank is identified as contravening the regulations at the time a delivery is to be made, the distributor may refuse to deliver.
Domestic Sites
Both Oil Storage Regulations and Building Regulations apply to domestic storage.
Oil Storage Regulations state that if you are storing below 3,500 litres you are exempt.
Building Regulations state that if you are installing a new tank or changing an old one, any tank with a capacity of more than 2,500 litres MUST be bunded. However, tanks with less than 2,500 litre capacity must be bunded if the tank is:
- Within 10 metres of controlled water
- Located where spillage could run into an open drain or to a loose manhole cover
- Within 50 metres of a borehole or spring
- Over hard ground or hard surfaced ground that could enable spillage run-off to reach controlled water
- Located in a position where the vent pipe outlet is not visible from the fill point
- Supplying heating oil to a building other than a single family dwelling
Industrial Sites
Any industrial, commercial or civic site storing over 200 litres of oil must be bunded.
These rules apply to not only fuel oil, but basically to any chemical or liquid which, should it come into contact with the ground could cause a threat to the environment. All ancillary and dispensing equipment should also be addressed.
For further information on the Regulations, you can:
- Click the link to the PDF File - "Environment Agency Guidelines" (see below)
- Request the Environment Agency's leaflet "Oil Storage Regulations" which can be obtained from us
- Call us directly on +44 (0)1772 901031 or email: sales@geo-broughton.co.uk
- Contact the Environment Agency
Please click on Tabs "Tanks and Equipment" and "Spills and Clean-up" for additional information on services and products our sister company can provide.
Download Environment Agency Guidelines Download Oil Storage Regulations
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