Oil spills…arghh too common….
In reality, folks are switching to natural gas for residential heating…. Several factors contribute to this fuel choice decision: economics, convenience related to continual delivery, and partly due to the potential for spills of petroleum products.
During the past 13 years we’ve worked on 3 projects that have incurred fuel spills before or during construction. The cleanup costs varied from $15,000 to $180,000 due in part to the nearby soils, the longevity of the leak and the cleanup strategies….Yes seriously costly.
Oil storage tanks have a life-span. Many older buried tanks are made of a single layer of untreated steel and are past their prime. The shell of these tanks often rust and create oil leaks. In order to prevent this you should understand the condition of your tank and systems and get it replaced if it is older than 15 years. Many states have insurance requirements related to oil tanks and potential remediation costs.
Spilled oil smells very pungent and can make you seriously sick, as well as contaminate the soil and water supply for years. The increase of flooding has accelerated the number of spills which enlarges the toxic areas while giving more reason to erring on the side of caution.
If you have doubts or questions get a professional to review your system promptly (i.e. call Frank Petrullo @ Envirocare at 914 245 3100) . If you encounter a spill call the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Spill Hotline immediately 1-800-457-7362 to report the spill. See the attached link http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2752.pdf.
