Need help on tank removal

ChrisJ

I need some advice on how to get rid of my oil tank.

I am in North Western NJ and have I believe a 250 gallon tank which is less than 10 years old.  Its the style which lays on its side and it is currently in my crawl space. 

The tank is basically empty and is in great shape.  What is the best way to go about this?  I can remove the tank from the crawlspace my self but have no idea where I can bring it. 

lchmb

we

cut tanks in half, remove all residual oil from the tank and then take it to the scrap yard....

STEVEusaPA

put an add in craig's list

someone may want it for a waste oil heater in  a shop, for a garage, or sometimes contractors use them on job sites for construction equipment.

Dont forget to post it up in the 'Buy, Sell, Barter, section....someone, should know someone....etc.

Jean-David Beyer

I live in New Jersey.

I had an in-ground oil tank. The rules for above ground tanks may be different.



I had to get a permit to remove the tank. As soon as the tank was out of the ground, I had to have it inspected, and the hole where it came from needed to be tested. I failed the test,  so remediation was required. My digger-upper had to notify the D.E.P. That was over two years ago, what with insurance companies fighting with each other, the state running out of remediation money, etc. Some time this year I was allowed to have the tank taken away to a suitable waste site.



I have some friends who have an oil tank in their cellar. It was leaking, so they have a new above ground tank in their garage. They cannot cut up their old tank and take it to a scrap yard. They must get an authorized cutter-upper and have it taken to an approved toxic waste site. They cannot afford to do that, so it has been sitting in their cellar for 5 years or perhaps more.



If you want to comply with the law, I guess you better find out what the law is in your jurisdiction.

lchmb

Wow

Sounds like a nightmare JDB...

Jean-David Beyer

Sounds like a nightmare JDB...

It certainly could be. Fortunately, it seems I do not need to do the remediation until I sell the house, and I do not propose to sell it. I would not be able to sell it until the remediation is done. My current insurance company will not pay any of the remediation costs. My former insurance company will pay something like 5% of the cost. New Jersey really wants in-ground tanks out. I may have the numbers a little off, but I think they will pay up to $1500 to help you pay the cost of removing an in-ground tank. They also have a program to help you pay the cost of leak remediation if needed. Provided I am not too rich, I think the program provides up to $50,000. Mine will be somewhat less than that, but not a lot less. Unfortunately the program is underfunded. It is my understanding that I am pretty near the top of the list, but they think it may be three more years until the money for my remediation will be available.



But if I wanted to sell now, I would have to drop the price by about $50,000 if I could sell it at all. The D.E.P. is not proposing to fine me until I get the remediation is done. They are just glad the leaking tank is now gone. I had to keep the tank on my property for almost two years for the insurance adjusters inspection, until they finally decided they did not need to see it anymore. (1000 gallon tank.) I was starting to worry that the town code enforcement officer would get on my case for maintaining a junk yard, but he did not.

Mark N

Tank Removal

Chris



I live in central New Jersey and had the tank that was in basement removed a couple of years ago. It was done with a permit, the tank was drained and cleaned and cut in half to get it out of my basement. The tank had to be inspected before it went to the scrap yard(needed receipt to prove it was scrapped). Also needed a receipt to show where oil was taken to. The inspector than inspected the tank also made sure that the oil fill and vent pipes were removed and plugged up. Check with your town as a homeowner you might not be able to take care of this yourself.

ChrisJ

Good news I think

I called and asked about removing my own tank.  They said as long as it is an above ground tank I can remove it my self.



I will need a fire permit and as ichmb said I have to cut the tank in half, clean it out and scrap it.



Now my question is if I clean this thing out with rags,  what do I do with the rags!?  I'm going to use some logic here and guess they cannot go out with the normal trash pickup.

Gary_17

I geuss I'm lucky

We have no garbage police checking out what I set out at the curb in my garbage bags that end up in the incinerator anyway

billtwocase

do you

have a local waste management facility (dump) ?  They can generally handle waste oils, etc. You would be best to have some kind of proof of what was done with the old tank. I don't play with them, I just hire a tank removal company to pick them up, and do what they need to do with them. There is now a paper trail with a removal permit, and a manifest on where it went step by step.

ChrisJ

proof

Building department said to get a receipt from the scrap yard I take it to.  There will be a paper trail starting with the fire permit from the town, to the inspection and the scrapyard receipt.



I'd rather not have to do it but honestly cannot afford $600-800 to pay someone else to do it.  While I don't have money I'm not afraid of some work and getting dirty to get the job done.

billtwocase

is the tank empty?

You may not need to get this out of your yard ASAP. If it is empty, and plugged off, I would put it out back standing end on end, and let the stuff settle down the one end.You can also get a bad of speedy-dry, and let it soak as much of it up. That is costly, and can see why you want to save that money. See how long you can safely keep it, out of service, on your property

ChrisJ

Never thought of speedy-dry

As far as I know it can stay there as long as I want it.  The tank is essentially empty other then whatever we couldn't pump into my neighbors tank.  We tried not to suck up anything off of the very bottom so I'm sure theres probably  a few gallons of stuff in it.

billtwocase

I would

hide it behind the shed then, if you plan on doing it yourself. let everything settle during the winter months, and tackle it this spring/summer. i know some disposal companies feel as though they have people over a barrel, so to speak, but I wouldn't pay more than what I now pay.

Patchogue Phil_2

burn off residue?

Is it a bad idea to cut the tank in half,  and in a safe outdoor area burn off the residue?

chad38

oil tank removal

I believe you have to be licensed by the NJ DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) in order to remove any oil tank. I would contact a local oil tank removal company to make sure.

ChrisJ

Nope

Hi Chad,



Bit of a late response as the tank has been gone for many many months.



As per my town I was allowed to remove the tank my self with the appropriate permits and of course inspections. 

SciaccaContracting

Oil Tank Removal NJ

Post is kind of late but if you need help give us a call.  201-933-6100





http://sciacca-contracting.com/