When an underground storage tank (UST) has outlasted its lifespan or an aboveground tank has failed due to corrosion, plumbing failure, or poor maintenance, CCS, as a licensed contractor, and our Tank Demolition and Remediation Division will follow all local and state decommissioning procedures for UST and AST closure and removal requirements.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers a tank that has at least 10% of its combined volume underground, including piping connected to the regulated tank storing petroleum or certain hazardous materials as an underground storage tank (UST). An AST is any tank that is not an underground storage tank and is used to store fuel, used oil, heating oil, and/or chemicals.

UST and AST Decommission Procedure:

• Permanent Closure: notification of intent to decommission, remove and discard UST/AST to applicable regulatory agencies.
• Secure Permits: contact local fire marshal/agency and planning departments to secure any permits as required by local and state agencies.
• Site Assessment: determine if contamination is present at the UST/AST site as a results of any leaks and/or spills which may have occurred during the operation of the UST/AST and storage tank piping system.
• Tank Cleaning: UST/AST should be cleaned prior to removal from the tank supports to eliminate the potential for release of waste material.
• Waste Management: classification of waste materials including residual waste in the UST/AST and whether or not the waste is non-hazard or hazardous waste.
• Tank removal:
  • UST and associated storage tank piping system is disassembled or disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local decommissioning regulations.
  • AST tank and piping system is taken out of service, tank and associated piping, vents, fill pipes, alarms, fuel filters, and shut off valves and properly disposed of in accordance with all federal, state and local decommissioning regulations.

With years of experience in decommissioning UST and ASTs, our decommission process is highly structured with a planned approach to successfully meet all time-sensitive requirements for successful removal of a UST/AST and associated storage tank piping systems. With a commitment to and emphasis on safety, strategic planning, and efficiency, our on-site operations and direct project experience across all phases of the tank decommissioning and remediation process will meet all tank decommissioning regulations.

Contact us today to learn more about the UST and AST tank decommission services that we offer.

Pacific Northern Environmental is committed to the safety and health of its employees, customers, and the environment we work in. Each of our managers and employees is trained in site-specific and job hazard safety practices upon hiring and annually thereafter. We also adhere to all safety protocols set by the clients we serve. On-site safety performance is tracked continuously by job site audits by our full-time safety professionals. Our Experience Modification Rating (EMR) and OSHA Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) are well below industry average. For more information about our commitment to safety, visit our safety page.