Removing oil tanks from private property

How does it work?

• The removal requirement does not apply to tanks that were decontaminated (cleaned) by a Kiwa-certified company before January 1, 1999.
• The removal requirement also does not apply to tanks that were remediated before March 1, 1993.

The municipality may still require you, as the owner, to take additional measures. This is because tanks were not always thoroughly cleaned in the past.

What should I do?

You must notify the municipality that there is a tank on your property.

• If you are not the owner of the land but the tenant, you must inform the landlord. Always have a soil survey conducted. If the land is contaminated, you must have it cleaned up.
• If you no longer use the tank, contact a Kiwa-certified company to have it removed. You can find the addresses of these companies at www.kiwa.nl. The tank may only remain in place if there is absolutely no other option. The Kiwa-certified company will clean and decommission the tank.
• If you are the owner and you are still using the tank, you must have it inspected annually. You should also make sure to obtain insurance against the consequences of soil contamination.

Additional information

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if there’s an oil tank.

• Signs in your yard include a manhole cover, a brass cap, a vent pipe, or unusual sinkholes. Oil tanks are never buried more than 1 meter deep.
• In the basement or crawl space, an unused pipe indicates an oil supply line. Old oil pipes are easy to spot: they are at least twice as thick as gas pipes and have a diameter of about 6 centimeters.
• Sometimes your neighbors or the previous residents will know if there’s a tank in the yard.
• Oil dealers usually know which homes used to have oil-fired heating systems.