News

NEW Harlequin ORB2500 Plastic Bunded Waste Oil Tank

2010-06-19T16:50:11Z

NEW Harlequin ORB2500 Plastic Bunded Waste Oil Tank

The NEW Harlequin ORB2500 plastic bunded waste oil tank is the latest in a long line of bunded and environmentally sound waste oil tanks from Harlequin and now means that with capacities from 350 litres to 2500 litres there's a bunded waste oil tank to meet your requirements. Designed to exceed all the latest requirements of the Environment Agencies pollution Prevention Guidelines relating to the safe storage and disposal of waste oils, PPG08, the Harlequin ORB2500 offers peace of mind when storing waste oils. Fully bunded and available with a large capacity tundish, lockable top lid, removable strainer for easy cleaning and waste oil extraction plus the option of a hydrostatic tank contents gauge, the Harlequin ORB 2500 Plastic bunded waste oil tank is the complete solution to your waste oil needs.

As John Switzer from Harlequin explains "Fully bunded, the ORB2500 is fully compliant with existing and expected waste oil storage regulations throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland and beyond, including the recently enacted Water (Environment) (Oil Storage) Scotland Regulations 2006 and the requirements of PPG2. As the largest model in our Waste Oil Tank range, the ORB2500 is specially suited to installation at civic amenity sites and commercial premises, where there is an ongoing requirement to dispose of waste oils and lubricants,"

CHANGES TO GAS OIL (RED DIESEL) SULPHUR CONTENT

2010-05-02T18:03:10Z

The Department for Transport has advised that as from 1st January 2011 all gas oil (red diesel) for use in off road machinery and recreational water borne craft will contain no more than 10 milligrams of sulphur per kilogram of fuel(current level 1000 mgs/kg) making gas oil virtually sulphur free. It is expected that from 1st January 2011 many fuel suppliers and distributors will meet the need for low sulphur gas oil by adding the red excise marker dye into the current low sulphur road diesel and supplying this as gas oil for off road machinery and recreational boats. Because of these changes along with the current bio diesel content of road diesel (up to 7%), the Department of Transport are advising gas oil users of the following precautions and "good housekeeping" when storing gas oil or red diesel, particularly for off road and recreational boat use:

• Increased care will be needed in the storage of sulphur free gas oil where this contains bio diesel. The oxidation stability of this fuel will be poorer than that of current gas oil. This can cause solids to form in the gas oil thus potentially blocking filters on diesel transfer pumps or off road engine systems. It is recommended that gas oil turnover be at least every 6 months and no longer than 12 months.

• Remove all water from gas oil tanks as this encourages the bacterial growth which can again block fuel filters and potentially damage engines over time.

• Because sulphur free gas oil has a more solvent characteristic than current gas oil and will potentially remove any deposits within the storage tank, it is advised that fuel tank & equipment filters be replaced/cleaned after 2-3 tank throu puts of sulphur free gas oil. If in doubt change your fuel tank filters.

Most modern off road machinery should have no problems running on the new sulphur free gas oil to be supplied from 1st January 2011 but machinery owners should be aware that fuel seals and pipes in some older machinery may not be compatible with the new sulphur free gas oil and machinery owners and operators should examine pipes, joints and seals for leaks after the switch over.

Gas oil for heating systems, grain driers, etc is not required to operate on the new sulphur free gas oil. However it is expected that gas oil suppliers and distributors will supply the new sulphur free gas oil for these installations as well. In these cases users are advised to heed the above precautions and contact their local fuel oil distributor for more guidance.

Further information and advice can be found on the Department for Transport web site by clicking the following link: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/fuelqualitydirectivegasoilrequirements.

Spin Secure Security Tank Lock For Your Oil Tank

2010-03-31T16:00:00Z

The NEW Spin secure security tank lock cap from RPM Fuels & Tanks offers unrivalled security for the fuel in your oil tank. Because of it's unique one piece padlock free design, Spin Secure has no crow bar leverage points which means that once fitted it spins freely and is almost impossible to remove with out the key. The Spin Secure Tank Locking Cap will fit any 2" BSP male fill point and has a rubber gasket to prevent leaks.

And now the Spin secure Tank Locking Cap is available with a 2" BSP female fill point adaptor which enables you to convert your existing 2" BSP female fill point into a 2" BSP male fill point.

MAIN FEATURES:

•   Free spin design when locked in place
•   Eliminates crow bar access
•   Easy to fit
•   No installation tools required
•   On piece design
•   Integral lock so no exposed or weak padlocks
•   Supplied with three keys
•   Up to 50000 locking combinations
•   Multiple key configurations available
•   Made from non ferrous zinc alloy

Environmental Agency calls for secondary containment facilities

2010-01-27T09:13:31Z

The Environment Agency recently studied the benefits of secondary containment for domestic oil storage installations and concluded that its introduction could prevent up to 640 pollution-related incidents annually. This translates to a public saving of around £1m per annum. The agency has since called for the compulsory introduction of secondary containment at all new and replacement home-based storage installations in England and Wales.

In a report that followed the DCLG review of The Building Regulations Approved Document J, The Environment Agency also made calls for better regulation of domestic installations. In particular, that underground oil tanks should be regulated under amendments to the Buildings Regulation. In addition, they urged that oil storage solutions at residential locations should be given the same level of environmental protection as those on corporate and public premises.

The report follows warnings by the Environment Agency to residents in the South East of England to check oil tanks for damage caused by sub-zero temperatures. Following extended periods of cold weather insurers are often hit with a spate of claims from homeowners who discover an oil spill. In many cases using secondary containment such as a bunded oil storage tank would have prevented the breach.

In the corporate world, the lack of compulsory second containment has been controversial in recent years. In November 2009, power company Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution was fined £20,000 for an oil spill that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said could have been prevented with adequate secondary containment.

The Environment Agency’s report, like previous calls for compulsory secondary containment, has been met with broad support from the oil heating industry.

£44,000 Fine For Polluters

2009-12-28T10:00:00Z

In July 2007 police and fire services were called to a major fuel leak in Plymouth. 36,000 litres of petrol leaked from a storage tank on site at the Mayflower Terminal located next to the Plym estuary. The petrol leaked into the surrounding area, which was left saturated. Police classed the incident as critical. A public safety warning was issued because of the risks of an explosion.

The Environment Agency bought this case to court in November 2009. Conoco Phillips Ltd and the operator of the Plymouth fuel distribution depot appeared in court for charges for contaminating local controlled waters with petrol.

Sarah Taylor, a representative of The Environment Agency said “This was a major spill involving tens of thousands of litres of fuel that had a serious impact on groundwater and the surrounding environment. The site will have to undergo costly monitoring for some time to track the spread of pollution in the underlying bedrock and groundwater”...” 'This type of pollution incident is avoidable. Terminal owners and operators must ensure storage tanks and other equipment are regularly checked and maintained and, in the event of a spill, all the correct procedures are followed so as to minimise any impact on the environment. It also makes business sense because it avoids expensive pollution clean-up operations and monitoring after the event”

A series of trial pits where dug beneath the Mayflower Depot, showing that the ground was heavily contaminated. The limestone aquifer also showed traces of petrol.

Conoco Phillips Ltd where fined £16,000 after pleading guilty to contamination of controlled water, and ordered to pay £3,373 to cover the court bills. SGS UK Ltd (the site operators) were also fined £20,000 for the same offence, and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.

Technicians to receive discounted OFTEC business registrations in the UK.

2009-12-27T10:00:00Z

OFTEC has announced that it is offering £100 discount for UK Technicians renewing their business registrations. This loyalty discount is being offered to all renewals, and is aiming to help with the strain of the current credit crunch. Changes to the strenuous renewal process have now been simplified to a quick and easy online application.

This discount is also extended to all new applicants. Any new customers who are first time registers and have passed the OFTEC assessments are entitled to a £200 discount.

OFTEC are introducing these initiatives to improve the services that are currently in place for Technicians. A recent change to the call centre has already proven extremely successful, and response times for enquiries are already on the decrease.

Boiler Scrappage Scheme Praised By OFTEC

2009-12-26T17:00:00Z

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alastair Darling has announced his £200m scheme to aid Britain in lowering its carbon emissions. The pre-budget report published in December 2009, has stated that over 125,000 households will benefit from a £400 discount on new high efficiency boilers.

Government research reported that modern oil fired boilers are much higher in efficiency than older LPG models. Statistically it costs around £991 per annum to heat a 3 bedroom house with an old LPG or mains gas boiler, compared to only £814 per annum with a new oil condensing boiler. The scheme is also in place to help with rural homes. Houses that are connected to mains gas can expect to see an astonishing drop in bills, using a high efficiency boiler to heat a 3 bedroom house will cost around £741 per annum, households using a LPG boiler can see bills as high as £1,645 per annum.

The director of OFTEC, Jeremy Hawksley commented that "Inefficient boilers can add £200 to the average heating bill. Replacing an existing conventional oil boiler with a modern, high efficiency model can save over 18% on fuel bills, and help lower household carbon emissions”..."In Austria an industry funded subsidy scheme to incentivise the purchase of modern oil boilers has caused boilers sales to nearly triple in the third quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2008. Let's hope this UK scrappage scheme has a similar impact. Heating Oil is by far the most popular choice for heating in rural areas which do not have access to mains gas. Around 1.3 million homes in the UK use oil as their main source of fuel for heating and sometimes cooking."

These discounts and a range of incentives will be available from April 2010.

£12,000 fine for oil leak

2009-12-25T07:52:00Z

In February 2009, The Environment Agency investigated an oil leak in the tributary of Hammond Beck Drain, leading to E &S Fork Lift Sales and Hires, in Donington near Spalding. The Environment Agency bought the case to court following the leak from a vandalized oil tank. The oil had leaked through a surface water drain directly below the storage tank, which lead to the Hammond Beck Drain.

Eric Elam claimed that although the leak was spotted, He hadn’t reported it to the Environment Agency as staff on site had cleaned it up.

Claire Magee, an office for the Environment Agency said, "Oil can have serious impacts on the environment and clean-up costs can be very expensive. Anyone storing oil must ensure that they comply with all the relevant legislation and take appropriate measures to keep their oil safe and secure. Any spills should be reported to the Environment Agency without delay."

The oil in the water caused distress to a swan, which needed to be rescued and cleaned by the RSPCA. There were also reports of dead invertebrates found in the surrounding waters. Pools of water on site of E&S Fork Lift Sales and Hire had signs of thick dark oil in them.

Eric Elam pleaded guilty and was fined £12,000. As a result, Mr Elam has moved all oil tanks inside, and now has 24 hour on site surveillance.

Tougher fines for Polluters.

2009-12-17T15:55:21Z

Courts have been urged by the Environment Agency, to issue polluters with tougher fines. Latest statistics show that between 2007 and 2008, there was a 13% drop in oil and fuel leaks in the UK. And a staggering 44% drop in major incidents since 2001.

The Environment Agency is asking for a higher fine to be used as a deterrent, as more and more businesses begin to comply with legislations.

Ed Mitchell, from the Environment Agency said "Major pollution incidents are rarer than ever due to tighter and more effective environmental legislation and efforts made by industry. We will continue to prosecute any company polluting the environment, and are encouraged to see that the courts are handing out larger fines for environmental offences. The Environment Agency would like to see even higher average fines in future to provide an even stronger deterrent to any one polluting the environment."

There are still businesses across the UK who are being fined for pollution linked with oil and petrol spills. Western Wines in Telford where fined £225,000 after failing to comply with the packaging waste regulation, this is the largest fined given to a business in the UK. This is closely followed by Mid Developments Ltd, in Ryton who were fined £97,000 after depositing waste without a license.

The Environment Agency have issued all businesses with a new 10 point checklist to ensure that they are operating without threat of an incident. Advice contained within the “Is Your Site Right?” handbook, covers storing oil and fuel, to safe handling and waste management.

Thankfully, the amount of spills, in England and Wales are on the decrease, as the clear up after a pollution incident can be a very costly procedure for the Government and subsequently, for taxpayers. This plea for tighter fines is hoping to act as a deterrent for any future offences.

Members of the public who wish to report an incident can do so by calling the Environment Agency’s incident line on 0800 80 70 60.

New additions to the Harlequin Standard and Basic oil tank range

2009-12-01T20:48:01Z

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE HARLEQUIN STANDARD AND BASIC BUNDED OIL TANKS RANGE

Clarehill Plastics, the manufacturers of Harlequin Oil Tanks, have announced the addition of four new tanks to their range of Standard and Basic Bunded Oil Tanks.

Joining the companies already competitively priced range of Basic Bunded Oil Tanks will be two new slim line models, the 1000 BCT and 1300 BCT Basic Bunded Oil Tanks. At anly 710mm wide the Harlequin 1000 BCT Basic Bunded Oil Tank is narrow enough to fit through most domestic dorrways. To compliment this the new Harlequin 1300BCT Basic Bunded OIl Tanks has a brinful capacity of 1405 litres making it ideal for larger installations.

In addition to the new 1000BCT and 1300BCT Basic Bunded Oil Tanks Harlequin are will be replacing their long serving 2700BCT model with a new 2500 BCT. Like all Harlequin's Basic Bunded Oil Tanks the 2500BCT will be available with 1" BSP bottom outlet, 2" Lockable fill point, 4" inspection aperture, lockable manway access, oil tank contents dipstick and weatherproof venting. It will also be available with the usual Basic Bunded options such as Apollo electronic remote tank contents gauge and bottom outlet fitting kit.

The 2500 litre model is also available in Harlequin's excellent Standard Bunded Oil Tank range, as their 2500 BND/ENV top or botton outlet tanks. Building on the Basic Bunded model's specification the 2500 BND/ENv also comes with Apollo's electronic remote tank gauge, oil tank fitting kit and electronic bund warning alarm fitted as standard.

The latest additions to the Harlequin range have been fully tested in accordance with the requirements of The Oil Firing Technical Association’s OFS T100 Plastic Tank Manufacturing Standard and are OFCERT Licensed. They are also fully compliant with all applicable product requirements contained within The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001, The Water Environment (Oil Storage) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and comparable requirements throughout the United Kingdom.

All four new models will be available through RPM Fuels & Tanks for December delivery.