When Did Oil Tank Regulations Change
When did oil tank regulations change? On the 1st January 2020 the NIEA classified all domestic oil tanks as a hazardous waste. Over 60% of homes across Northern Ireland use heating oil, (kerosene) to heat their homes. With such high dependency on heating oil and fuel storage tanks, how does this new policy affect homeowners.
The disposal of old, damaged or obsolete oil tanks must be removed by a licensed waste carrier. All oil tanks must be consigned and transported to a licensed waste facility to monitor the movement of hazardous waste.
Why Did Oil Tank Regulations Change
Regulations changed in January 2020 to track the movements of hazardous waste. Contaminated oil tanks and heating oil constitute a serious risk to environmental pollution. In the past before the regulation’s changed domestic oil tanks where either, abandoned, sold, burned or disposed as general waste. Now with the new policy, householders and contractors are not permitted to:
- Transport oil tanks or kerosene, unless they have a valid waste carriers license
- Abandon or store contaminated oil tanks on their property
How To Dispose of a Domestic Oil Tank
Below details the correct procedure that must be followed when disposing of a plastic or metal oil tank in Northern Ireland. If your heating oil tank is single skin, older than 10 years, it should be replaced or checked yearly for cracks. Heating oil from a leaking oil tank is toxic and harmful to plants and animals.
1) Replacing an existing oil tank
The process of replacing an old or damaged oil tank should be carried out by a registered heating engineer or plumber. The contractor should syphon the remaining heating oil from the old oil tank into a holding tank. Once the new tank has been installed and the heating oil has been syphoned back into the new tank, the old tank is ready for disposal.
To remove and dispose of an oil tank, the contractor must hold a valid waste carriers license. To monitor the movement of hazardous waste, consignment numbers are used. The contractor purchases a consignment number from the NIEA and adds the consignment number to a prenotification form with the relevant waste codes. The prenotification is then submitted to the NIEA, a minimum of 1 day prior to the date of collection.
The contractor can then collect the oil tank and deliver it to a licensed waste facility for recycling.
Cut oil tank ready to be drained
2) Disposing of an unused oil tank
After a gas conversion, your old oil tank will need to be safely disposed off. The process is the same as above, the contractor, (gas engineer, plumber or specialist contractor) will be required to follow the NIEA guidelines.
- Purchase a consignment number
- Assign the number to a prenotification
- Notify the NIEA 1 working day before removal
- Deliver the tank to a licensed waste facility
Oil Tank Removal Companies
If you require the disposal of a domestic oil tank in Northern Ireland, call Removerr on 07434 691 809. We are fully licensed by the NIEA to remove and dispose of both plastic and metal oil tanks. Consignment number and prenotification form are submitted on your behalf, prior to all collections. If your claiming a grant under the affordable warmth scheme, we can provide all the necessary paperwork for the housing executive.
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