Are you storing oil correctly?

Few operators can be unaware that by this month [September] all commercial clean-oil storage tanks in England must comply with The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001. Failure to do so will result in a prosecution by the Environment Agency (EA).

Many operators, however, are still inadvertently storing fuel in double-skinned bunded tanks and these fall well short of EA standards. While the minimal interstitial spacing incorporated achieves 110% bund capacity, this design fails on further requirements such as inner tank isolation and the ability to vent directly down into the bund. Classified by the EA as ‘enhanced primary containment’ only, double-skinned tanks must now be provided with additional, approved secondary bunding to achieve compliance.

This can be a costly exercise and it is often more cost-effective to replace the unit with a fully enclosed ‘proprietary bunded tank’. Ledbury Welding & Engineering (LWE) design and manufacture integrally bunded above-ground oil tanks with a range of capacities from 1,000 litres to 130,000 litres as well as undertaking site environmental audits, decommissioning, installation and project management.

The company’s Derv Pack has been classified by the EA as ‘totally enclosed’ and is fully compliant with DEFRA legislation. It features a removable convex roof and separate inner tank, providing full inspection, maintenance and repair accessibility. Pumps and ancillary equipment can be pre-fitted in a lockable cabinet; requiring only mains power connection after delivery.