Storing agricultural fuel oil and constructing storage

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This guide will help you听to听meet听the听requirements听for storing agricultural fuel oil听set out in听the听Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (England)听Regulations)听2010.听听

These regulations, known as SSAFO,听are听designed to:听

reduce the risk of听water pollution听
protect drinking water听听
help听ensure your agricultural fuel oil storage is safe and secure听

This guide also includes advice from听the听code of good agricultural practice for farmers, growers and land managers.听听听

What agricultural fuel oil is听

Agricultural fuel oil is听fuel oil intended听to produce heat or power听for agricultural purposes. This is typically:听

red diesel听to听operate听tractors听
white diesel听for road vehicles听

It does not听include听oil听at your home or business that is stored separately to agricultural fuel oil and is intended for use exclusively:听听

for domestic purposes, for example听heating a farmhouse or other residential premises听
for another听non-agricultural听business you run from your farm听

Find out about听storing oil at your home or business.听

When you must follow the听regulations听

These听regulations听apply听when听the total quantity of agricultural fuel oil stored on听your听farm is more than 1,500 litres.听This includes whether it鈥檚 kept in听a single tank听or spread across your farm听in multiple tanks or drums.听

You must follow the requirements set out in听the听regulations听when听you鈥檙e:听听

constructing听new听agricultural听fuel oil听storage听
substantially听changing听existing听storage 鈥齖u003c/p>

Substantial听changes听usually mean structural alterations听such as increasing capacity or relocation,听rather than minor repairs.听Check with the Environment Agency听if听you鈥檙e听not sure.听听听

Environment听Agency general enquiries team
Email:听enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone: 03708 506 506
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges听听

These听requirements听do not apply:听

if you听store听a total听quantity听of听1,500 litres听or less听of agricultural fuel oil听鈥撎齮he Environment Agency听recommends听that you follow听the听code of good agricultural practice for farmers, growers and land managers听
to听agricultural fuel oil听stored听temporarily听in a tanker听used for transporting听fuel oil听on roads or around your farm

When听you鈥檙e听exempt from the听regulations听听

Agricultural fuel听oil听storage听constructed听before March 1991听is听exempt from these听regulations.听Your storage is also exempt if both of the following apply:听

you听entered into听a contract for听construction听or substantial change听before March 1991听听
the听construction听or substantial change听was completed before September 1991听

If you make substantial听changes听to the听storage,听it鈥檚听no longer exempt.听

The Environment Agency may听also听serve notice for people to听take action to improve听stores if they听consider听there鈥檚听a significant risk of pollution.听

You must take precautions to ensure that听agricultural fuel oil does not cause pollution.听

Notify听the Environment Agency about planned new storage or substantial changes听

You鈥檙e听legally required to notify the听Environment Agency听at least听14 days before you either:听

construct听new听agricultural听fuel oil storage听
make substantial changes to existing storage听

It鈥檚听recommended that you听notify听the Environment Agency听as early as possible听to听address any required changes before听work starts.听听听

The Environment Agency may contact you听for further information. They may听give you guidance on changes you need to make听to ensure听your storage听meets the regulations.听

You听should also听check if you need planning permission听for your storage.

Where to store听agricultural听fuel oil听

No part of听your fuel oil听storage听system can be within:听听

10 metres of inland听freshwaters听(including, for example,听any听yard drain, land drain,听stream听or听ditch, even if it flows for only part of the year)听听
10 metres of听coastal waters听

The Environment Agency recommends that听your听storage system听is听not听within:听听

50 metres of a borehole, well, or spring听听
a groundwater听source听protection听zone听one听(SPZ1)听听

Check if you鈥檙e in a groundwater source protection zone听(SPZ).听听

Where this is unavoidable, contact听the Environment Agency.听听

Environment听Agency general enquiries team
Email:听enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone: 03708 506 506
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges听听

Agricultural fuel oil tanks听are听normally听sited above听ground.听Consult the Environment Agency if you want to consider installing underground fuel storage tanks.听Underground tanks must also follow the听groundwater protection code听for preventing pollution.听

It鈥檚听also听good听practice to place tanks:听

away from听any foul or surface-water drains听
where the delivery driver can see the filling gauge听

Standards听for agricultural听fuel oil听tanks and drums听

Check with your听supplier听that听your chosen tank or drum听meets听manufacturing and quality standards.听

All tanks and drums听must have a system听to prevent听leaks and spills听from polluting the environment.听This is听a听secondary containment system听commonly听known as a bund.听You may need to construct this.听听

If you buy a听tank with a combined听secondary containment system (a bund), make sure it听complies with听SSAFO regulations.听

Tanks,听drums听and secondary containment systems听must be designed to last at least 20 years with proper maintenance.听听

Secondary containment systems must:听

have walls and a base which are听impermeable to oil and water听
contain听every part of the tank听or drum听

Taps and valves through which oil can be discharged must be within the bund. They must be directed down into it and locked shut when not in use.听The bund must not听contain听an outlet or a drain.听

Flexible delivery pipes permanently attached to the primary tank must be fitted with a self-closing tap or valve at the end. They must be locked inside the bund when not in use.听

Secondary containment听capacity听

Your听secondary听containment system听must have a minimum capacity. The听capacity听depends on your type of storage.听

For听single tanks, the minimum capacity is听110% of the capacity of the tank.听

If you have听multiple tanks听in one area, the minimum capacity听is听either听of the following (whichever is greater):听

110% capacity of the largest tank听
25% of the total volume that could be stored in all tanks in the area听

For听drums, the minimum capacity听is听at least 25% of the total volume that could be stored at any time.听

Maintain听your听agricultural听fuel oil听storage听听听

It鈥檚听recommended that you听routinely check and听maintain听your agricultural fuel oil store to:听

prevent leaks and failures听
make sure听there鈥檚听no risk of pollution听

Repair any leaks听immediately. Take out any water or oil that accumulates in the bund and dispose of it safely.听Large amounts听of oil can be removed from water using a blanket that is specially made to absorb oil.听

It鈥檚听good听practice to:听

inspect tanks,听pipes听and equipment regularly for damage and corrosion听
repaint metal tanks on the outside to prevent corrosion听听
inspect听secondary containment听and keep听it听in good condition听

Maintain your store听according to the manufacturer鈥檚 instructions to ensure听it will meet the 20-year life expectancy.听听

Plan for potential spills听

It鈥檚听recommended that you听have an incident response plan听and spill kits听in听case听of a spill.听Make sure听staff are fully trained and know what to do听if听an incident听happens.听听

All听your oil storage tanks听should听have an听oil听care听campaign sticker听that tells you what to do if you have an oil leak or spill.听Call the Environment Agency鈥檚 general enquiries line听for a free sticker.听听

Environment听Agency general enquiries team 听 Email:听enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk听
Telephone: 03708 506 506听
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges听听

The Environment Agency recommends that you:听

include how to deal with spillages in your accident and emergency plan听听
have听an听absorbent material听(for example sawdust)听available to soak up any spillages听听
have spill kits available at all locations where oil is stored and used听鈥� make sure staff know how to use them听
plan听operational procedures for deliveries to and from the tank, to minimise the chances of having a spill听听
have a member of farm staff present when fuel is delivered if possible听
fit an alarm to alert you to overfilling听
avoid overfilling vehicle tanks听听
transport,听site听and use mobile tanks with care, especially when you are refuelling machines such as irrigation pumps next to surface waters听听
check that the fuel systems and tanks of all tractors and diesel engines used in a fixed position are not leaking 鈥� use a drip tray as a short-term measure听

What to do if听there鈥檚听a spill听

If you have a spill,听act straight away听to stop the oil getting into drains or watercourses. If you can, soak up the听spilled听oil with your spill kit,听sand听or earth. Do not听put yourself in danger.听

Do听not hose the spill down or use detergents to get rid of it as you could make the pollution worse.听听

If oil soaks into the ground, the听soil soaked in oil听should be removed by a professional company. This is听so it does听not cause long-term pollution.听听

Store any materials soaked in oil in containers. This is听to听contain听the听oil until it can be disposed of听safely.听

Report pollution听

If there is a pollution incident on your farm, contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.听听听

Reporting incidents can ensure that you get听timely听advice. This will help to minimise the impact to the environment and your business.听

Disposing of听waste听fuel听oil听

Any听materials contaminated with oil听must be treated as听hazardous waste.听This includes听any mixture of oil and water collected in a bund.听

You must听dispose of waste fuel oil听without causing pollution.听This includes听mixtures听of oil and water that听have collected听in听secondary containment.听

Find out听what to do with听hazardous waste.听听

Enforcement and inspections听

You鈥檙e听responsible for preventing pollution if you听store, manage or听handle听agricultural fuel oil.听听

The Environment Agency听is responsible for听enforcing these regulations.听They do听this through farm inspections听and incident response.听听

If an inspection finds听you鈥檙e听not听complying with听the regulations听听

The Environment Agency will usually prioritise giving advice and guidance, specifying the actions you need to take, before taking more formal enforcement action.听

The听Environment Agency may take more formal enforcement action听if there鈥檚 already pollution听or听a significant risk of pollution. This may include:

serving听a notice to improve any unsuitable听agricultural听fuel oil听store听
prosecution听which听may听result in a fine听

Get advice about agricultural fuel oil storage听

Contact the Environment Agency听for advice.听听

Environment听Agency general enquiries team
Email:听enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone: 03708 506 506
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

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