If your underground storage tank (UST) is in need of removal, you’ve got a big project ahead of you. Removal can be further complicated if the tank in question stores hazardous chemicals, such as petroleum, and further work is required if said hazardous waste is leaking out of the tank. It’s a big project, but one that can be broken down into manageable steps by a company such as NEDT. Today, we’re going to go over the steps—from project management to disposal—so you know what to expect.
Consultation and Project Management
First, the scope of the project needs to be determined. This includes the size, contents, and state of the tank, its location, and any complications (such as leaks and ground soil contamination). Once this is all collected, a quote is given, and a contract is signed, the real project management can begin. With so many moving parts and liabilities, project management is as important as the actual digging, from the initial goals-setting to planning out the steps and execution to getting the people and equipment where and when they need to be.
Call Before You Dig
Before ground can be broken for tank assessment, cleaning, or removal, the proper steps need to be taken. Underground tanks require Dig Safe® notification as well as the required premarking and staking of the area. Additional permits and paperwork may be required depending on the location of the dig site, property use, and contents of the tank or surrounding underground utility lines. Thankfully, as your project managers, we’ll handle all that for you.
Assessing and Cleaning the Tank
Depending on the state and the contents (especially if it contains products considered hazardous or hazardous waste, such as fuel or heating oil), the tanks must be assessed and cleaned before removing (made inert). Entering and cleaning a tank is dirty, dangerous work and needs to be done by professionals. Training, protective gear, and systems like Permit Required Confined Space Entry are required to safely enter, assess, and clean the tanks.
Bringing in the Earthmovers and Cranes
Next, it’s time to dig. Depending on the tank, road access, groundcover, and soil composition, a variety of vehicles might be employed, including:
- Earthmovers: From small backhoes to larger bulldozers and excavators, the size of the tank and type of ground material will bring in various types of earthmovers to do the dirty work.
- Vacuum Trucks: Also known as Vactor “Guzzler” trucks, these vacuum trucks are used to suck up tank contents and can also be used during remediation for loose soil and wastewater.
- Dump Trucks: All that soil has to go somewhere. Materials may be retained onsite for backfill, but for the excess or contaminated materials that need disposal, various types of dump trucks and other transport trucks will be employed.
- Cranes & Flatbeds: The heavy lifters of the project, most tanks are going to require the use of a crane to hoist them onto a flatbed truck to transport to an approved disposal facility. Depending on the tank, this might require oversized transport.
Aftermath: Dealing with Remediation & Grading
Once the tank is removed, you’ll be left with a hole. What happens next depends on several factors, including if you’re going to replace the tank, if the ground is contaminated and in need of remediation, or if it just needs to be filled in and the landscape graded. We can help with all three and are specialists when it comes to site remediation. To learn more about the site remediation process, check out our blog, What It Takes to Restore a Contaminated Site to Operation.
So, if you need help with unground storage tank removal—residential, commercial, or industrial—it’s time to contact NEDT or call us at 1.800.698.1865. We provide a customer-focused experience with full project management with a highly skilled and equipped workforce. Learn more about our other related services, such as hazardous waste transportation and disposal, industrial cleaning and maintenance, site remediation, emergency spill response, and disaster recovery. Because tank cleaning and removal shouldn’t be difficult.
