Oil tanks – abandoning oil heating
A decommissioned oil or chemical tank is waste that must be cleaned up and removed from the ground. The environmental protection inspector must be informed in good time of the lifting of the tank so that, if necessary, the condition of the soil can be checked at the time of lifting.
The underground oil tank to be decommissioned is a waste that must be removed from the soil. According to Article 47.2 of the Decree of the Ministry of Trade and Industry on oil heating installations (314/1985), the decommissioned tank must be emptied of oil and oily waste. The filling pipe of the tank must be plugged or otherwise prevented from being used. According to the environmental protection guidelines of the municipality of Siilinjärvi, the disused oil tank should be lifted out of the ground with all its structures and inspected after cleaning. The inspection should be carried out by an inspection/installation company approved by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes). A written report on the removal of the oil tank should be drawn up by the inspection company and sent to the rescue authority and the municipal environmental protection authority.
The use of heating oil tanks poses a risk of soil and groundwater contamination. Therefore, underground oil, fuel and chemical tanks must be inspected regularly every 2-10 years. Underground oil tanks in properties located in groundwater areas should be removed from the ground as a matter of priority. New heating oil tanks or their pipelines may no longer be placed underground in important groundwater areas.
Siilinjärvi Environmental Protection recommends abandoning the old oil tanks and replacing them with another heating system. When the tank is removed, a sensory check is carried out to ensure that there are no detectable oil leaks in the soil. In the event of oil and chemical spills requiring immediate response, call the emergency number 112.
Leaving a disused oil tank on the ground
According to the Waste Act (646/2011), the owner or holder of the tank must first remove the disused oil tank and its piping from the ground. The tank must be cleaned before removal.
The environmental protection authority may grant an exemption from the obligation to remove a disused oil tank from the ground, subject to an opinion, if removal is technically very difficult or would cause damage to other property.
If the tank is to be left in the ground, you should contact Siilinjärvi Environmental Protection as early as possible so that the conditions for leaving the tank in the ground can be assessed. If the opinion indicates that the tank meets the conditions for land application, the change of ownership of the property should be communicated. The removal of the tank will become necessary when it is decided to demolish the building or when earthworks are carried out on the property.
Properties can get a grant to change their heating system
The call for grants for replacing oil and natural gas heating systems is open until 6.10.2025. More information about grants for removing oil heating systems can be found on the ELY Centre’s website.
