New oil storage regulations Wales
Mar 1, 2016 // by Gareth BevanAt Environmental Construction Ltd we like to look after our client’s needs, especially when it comes to adhering with the latest regulations.
We understand that you are busy with your day to day running of you’re business and sometimes these changes can go unnoticed, therefore here is a guideline to the new ‘oil storage regulations’ that came into force in Wales on March 15th 2016. These regulations have already been implemented across the whole of the UK – England 2001 (year), Scotland 2003 and Northern Ireland 2010.
The actual title for these regulations are `Control of pollution (oil storage) (Wales) Regulations 2015’ and they are aimed towards all businesses and domestic properties that store oil above ground.
If you are a business you must follow the regulations if your oil storage tank/container can hold 201 litres or more of:
- petrol
- diesel
- biofuels
- kerosene
- vegetable oil and plant-based oils, eg sunflower oil or aromatherapy oil – including waste cooking oil
- oils used as solvents
- biodegradable oils, eg lubricating or hydraulic oils
- liquid bitumen-based products, eg waterproofing or damp proofing products, or coatings for a road surface
The regulations do not apply to:
- hydrocarbon products that are solid when unheated, like bitumen
- solvents that aren’t oil based, eg trichloroethylene
- aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene and toluene
- waste mineral oils drained from vehicles, and mixtures of diesel and petrol that can’t be used as vehicle fuel
- in any container with a storage capacity of 200 litres or less; stored subject to an environmental permit
- on premises used:-
- wholly or mainly as a private dwelling if oil the container in which the oil is stored was first used for storing oil before these Regulations came into force
- as an oil distribution depot
- for refining oil
Here a few general requirements when storing oil on you’re premises.
- Container should be of sufficient strength and structural integrity to ensure that it is unlikely to burst or leak.
- Installed without adversely affecting that strength and integrity
- If the oil storage tank/container has not got an integral bund then a secondary containment (bund) must be put into place which satisfies the following requirements:
- the secondary containment (bund) must have the capacity of not less than 110% of the largest container storage capacity or 25%of their aggregate storage capacity, whichever is greater.
- it must be positioned, or other steps must be taken, so as to minimise any risk of damage by impact so far as is reasonably practicable
- its base and walls must be impermeable to water and oil
- its base and walls must not be penetrated by any valve, pipe or other opening which is used for draining the system
- if any fill pipe, or draw off pipe, penetrates its base or any of its walls, the junctions of the pipe with the base or the walls must be adequately sealed to prevent oil escaping from the system.
All non domestic properties will need to comply between two and four years later, depending on the risk they pose to the environment. For more information on the new oil storage regulations Wales please visit the welsh assembly website.
Leaving it late can lead to large sum penalty’s. It can also lead to a pollution spill that will not only damage the environment but prove very costly to your business. The cost of re mediation will far out way the cost of implementation. Here at Environmental Construction Ltd we can help plan, design and construct. Leaving you to carry on with business as normal, with minimal disruption and with a piece of mind that your site is complying to the latest regulations. Please Contact us for more information or to see what we can do for your business.
