Storage tanks are closed containers with a capacity of more than 230 L that are designed to be installed in a fixed location. The University owns more than 300 storage tanks, which include mainly fuel tanks, as well as other hazardous materials tanks.
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Storage Tanks
How are storage tanks managed at UBC?
What types of storage tanks are there and how are they regulated?
How are UBC storage tanks registered or decommissioned?
Storage Tanks
How are storage tanks managed at UBC?
Hazardous material storage tanks (active or inactive) must be properly managed due to their potential risk to human health and the environment. Spills or leaks may result in soil, water, or air contamination, fire or explosion, or chemical exposure. In addition, some tanks present a confined space hazard.
- The University’s storage tanks are owned by various operational or academic departments: Building Operations, Energy & Waster Services, Student Housing & Community Services (SHCS), Athletics, etc.
- Asset management and inventory control are very important in addressing any occupational health and safety, environmental and liability risks.
- Underground storage tanks (UST) are not permitted at UBC. Most older USTs have been decommissioned and removed.
- Storage tanks above 230L must be pre-approved by Safety & Risk Services and registered/decommissioned [see below] in the in the University’s asset management database.
- During the active life of a storage tank, regular maintenance, monitoring, and inspections must be conducted by the tank’s owner or asset steward and qualified personnel.
- An owner or steward of a storage tank that has been inactive for more than 180 days years must follow a proper tank decommissioning and removal process to ensure there is no danger to people or the environment.
- For fuel tanks, the withdrawal from service is temporary if the withdrawal lasts less than two years, otherwise it is permanent.
What types of storage tanks are there and how are they regulated?
UBC has several types of hazardous materials storage tanks. Different federal, provincial and/or municipal regulations are applicable to storage tanks, depending on their type.
| Tank Type | Description | Applicable Regulations |
| Fuel | Above and underground tanks used to supply fuel for emergency generators, for vehicle fueling stations, heating oil for boilers, etc. |
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| Chemical | Tanks used for the storage of large volumes of various chemicals. | |
| Acid neutralization | Holding tanks where neutralization is achieved passively by dilution or by adding chemicals to neutralize. Used to minimize any potential corrosive attack on a facility’s drainage system and to ensure effluent pH is compliant with the bylaw. | |
| Oil/water separators | Designed to separate gross amounts of oil and suspended solids from wastewater effluents. Oil/water separators must be installed for every parking lot with 20 or more vehicles and downstream from certain fuel storage tanks. | |
| Grease interceptors (grease traps) | Designed/installed to separate and retain oil and grease in commercial kitchens, while permitting wastewater to discharge to the sanitary sewer. | |
| Septic | Watertight containers for receiving, treating and settling domestic sewage. | |
| Liquefied gas | Safe storage of liquefied gases (propane, oxygen, nitrogen, etc.), which have several associated hazards – fire or explosion, asphyxiation, toxicity, very low temperatures, as well as physical. |
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| Waste storage & containment | Used to collect wastewater from cleaning operations in areas where hazardous materials are used and stored. |
How are UBC storage tanks registered or decommissioned?
Underground storage tanks are not permitted. All above ground storage tanks with a capacity of more than 230L must be pre-approved by SRS and registered/decommissioned in the University’s asset management database. Please contact the asset owner or asset steward to complete this.