Underground oil tanks don't last
forever. Most have a life span of 20 to 40 years. However, underground
tanks installed in the 1970's could deteriorate in a shorter
time because less sturdy materials could have been used at that
time in their manufacture.
Residential underground tanks
typically were made to contain 550 or 1000 gallons of oil.
An old underground tank is prone
to rusting. Consequently, leaking may occur.
Even an unused, untreated tank
is a problem. It may have rusted and can contain oil, sediment,
sludge or oily water which can leach into the ground. An unused
tank can also collapse causing a dangerous sink hole.
The State of New Jersey, as well
as individual communities, now requires homeowners to deal responsibly
with old underground oil tanks.
Accepted methods of dealing with
an old underground tank are 1) removal, filling
the hole with clean fill after the tank has been excavated and
removed from the property
, and 2) closure or abandonment, filling
the cleaned tank in place with sand.
If an underground tank has leaked
and the surrounding soil has become contaminated with oil or
any sediment, site remediation will be required. This process
involves the excavation, transportation, disposal of the contaminated
soil, and finally restoration of the site.