Fuel is a dangerous, highly explosive substance, so you must handle it carefully, or you could get into a lot of trouble.
Oil spills are one of the most frequent culprits, being reported to cause over 15% of pollution occurrences annually. Oil can contaminate rivers and groundwater, injure plants and marine life, and disrupt natural routines.
You must follow established rules to ensure safe storage. If you don’t, you risk receiving a notice about anti-pollution work or, worse yet, legal action. Here, we’ll review the restrictions on how much fuel can be kept on hand without a permit.
You must follow England’s construction standards if you install a new fuel container at home, such as one to fuel your stove or central heating. However, there are different building requirements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
How Much Fuel Can You Store At Home?
No More Than 30 Liters
Without a licence or informing anyone, you can store up to 30 litres of fuel in your house, car, boat, or aeroplane. Depending on how much oil you store, several containers are required by law:
- A plastic container that holds up to 10 litres.
- Metal container that holds up to 20 litres
- A demountable fuel tank holds up to 30 litres.
Over 30 Litres And Up To 275 Litres
Suppose you want to store more than 30 litres of fuel but no more than 275 litres. In that
case, you must notify your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA) in writing,
providing your name, address, and the location of the storage facility.
Over 275 Litres And Up To 35000
An oil storage certificate and a licence are required if you plan to store more than 275 litres
but less than 3500 litres. To obtain one, you must once more get in touch with your local
PEA, which will provide you with one good for up to three years and not transferrable.
Remember:
The ideal location to store items is in a shed or garage, not inside your home. Never manually or electrically dispense (or pump) from a storage tank on your property. Make an effort to store your fuel in an airy location. If it is not possible, you must have a direct exit to the outside with ventilation leading to it. Any sources of heat or ignition that could ignite must be avoided. Any combustible engine’s fuel tank is the only area it should be used while storing fuel. You must adhere to company regulations if you want to store more than 3500 litres.
Additionally, you must request planning clearance if you want to put an oil tank with this capacity at your house.
How Much Fuel Can I Store For My Business?
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 must be followed if your organisation has a storage container with more than 200 litres capacity. The law refers to storage as follows:
- Biodiesel White Diesel
- Kerosene
- Vegetable oil and oils derived from plants, such as sunflower oil
- Hydraulic oils or lubricants
- Synthetic oils, such as waste oil and motor oil
- items made of liquid bitumen, such as damp proofing or road products.
Dispensations from the law:
Building Regulations do, however, apply for replacement and new tanks at a single private house when less than 3500 litres are held. At locations where oil is later distributed to other locations Storage of mineral oil waste Underground oil storage is used in agriculture to generate heat and electricity on farms.
3450 Litre bunded diesel fuel storage tank
Contact Us!
At Total Tanks, we are an online supplier of fuel, oil and water storage tanks for all installation
requirements. If you want more information, contact our friendly team today!
