Help Environment With Regular Tank Maintenance
30/11/2021
Owners of domestic oil tanks have been reminded to take care of their supply to prevent fuel spillages, which would damage the environment.
Earlier this week, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) stated that leaked fuel can harm wildlife, pollute rivers, contaminate drinking water, and kill plants. Therefore, owners have a responsibility to carry out regular maintenance on their oil tanks.
Environment team leader with NRW Huw Jones said this is particularly important during the wet and cold season.
“When water enters an oil tank, it accumulates below the heating oil at the base of the tank. This may not immediately cause a problem, but once the volume of water increases, it can also enter the fuel supply network,” Mr Jones stated.
He added that water in a steel tank can cause corrosion, as well as expand and freeze in icy conditions, which could cause pipes to burst and fuel to leak.
“[This would lead to] a significant environmental incident,” Mr Jones noted.
Avoiding damage to the environment through oil leaks is essential, as the fuel is toxic to plants and animals. According to Oil Care: “Over the past five years, oil has consistently been among the UK’s top three pollutants.”
It revealed that one litre of oil can contaminate as much as one million litres of water, proving how disastrous a simple leak can be.
Oil Firing Technical Association’s
(OFTEC’s) technical manager Joe Bath advised oil tank owners to pay close
attention to cracks, rust and small leaks. He advised having the tank
professionally checked by an OFTEC registered technician, as they can identify
defects quickly before they get worse.
To find out more about tank cleaning services, get in touch today.
