Can an Oil Tank Be Removed with Oil Still Inside?
No. Before an oil tank can be transported for disposal, it should be emptied of any remaining heating oil. While it’s almost impossible to remove every last drop of oil from the bottom of a tank, any significant quantity of heating oil should be removed before the tank is lifted and transported to a licensed hazardous waste facility.
The safest and most appropriate method will depend on how much heating oil remains in the tank. In some cases, the oil can be transferred into another suitable oil tank, while in others it may need to be removed and disposed of as waste heating oil before the oil tank itself can be collected.
Need an oil tank removed? anywhere in Northern Ireland, call Andrew on 07434 691 809 or email andrew@removerr.co.uk.
Why Does the Oil Need to Be Removed?
There are two main reasons why heating oil is normally removed before an oil tank is transported: weight and environmental protection.
Even an empty oil tank can be heavy. A typical single-skin plastic oil tank may weigh around 70 kg, while larger plastic, bunded and steel oil tanks can weigh considerably more. Once the weight of the remaining heating oil is added, the tank becomes much heavier and more difficult to handle safely.
Heating oil weighs approximately 0.84 kg per litre, meaning that 100 litres of heating oil weighs around 84 kg, while 300 litres weighs approximately 252 kg. This additional weight makes lifting and transporting the oil tank more difficult and increases the risk of injury.
Removing the heating oil beforehand also helps reduce the risk of spills. Attempting to move an oil tank containing a significant quantity of oil increases the chance of the tank tipping, leaking or being damaged during lifting and transportation, which could result in environmental contamination.
Small Residual Amounts of Heating Oil
While every effort is made to remove the heating oil from an oil tank before it is transported, it is almost impossible to remove every last drop. In most cases, a very small amount of residual oil will remain at the bottom of the tank, often mixed with water, sludge and sediment that has built up over time.
This is completely normal and is taken into account during the disposal process. The important point is that any significant quantity of heating oil has been removed before the oil tank is transported.
Larger Quantities of Heating Oil
Where a larger quantity of heating oil remains in the tank, it will need to be removed before the oil tank can be lifted and transported. If the heating oil is still in good condition, the most cost-effective option is often to arrange a heating oil transfer into another suitable oil tank.
This may be a newly installed oil tank at the same property or, in some cases, a tank belonging to a neighbour, family member or friend who is happy to take the heating oil. Transferring the oil allows it to be reused and avoids the cost of disposing of a large quantity of heating oil as waste.
Need an Oil Tank Removed?
Removerr provides professional oil tank removal throughout Northern Ireland, including the removal of plastic oil tanks, metal oil tanks, single-skin tanks and bunded oil tanks. We can also arrange the transfer of reusable heating oil or the removal and disposal of waste heating oil, depending on the condition and quantity remaining in the tank.
As oil tanks containing residual heating oil are classed as hazardous waste, the required paperwork is submitted to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) before the tank is removed. Once the oil tank has been collected and the waste has been processed, you’ll receive a copy of the completed hazardous waste paperwork for your records.
