SPCC for Oil Reclamation Facilities

SPCC Plan Consulting Services Waste Oil Reclamation Facilities

What is an SPCC Plan for Waste Oil Reclamation Processing  Facilities?

The EPA Clean Water Act requires that any facility that has oil product storage capacities of 1,320 gallons or more develop and implement a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan in accordance with 40 CFR Part 112.

Waste oil from various sources including tank bottoms and used oil removed from vehicles.  These products are received via tank trucks into the receiving tanks and processed through centrifuge equipment, heat exchangers and settling vessels to separate the waste oil, salt water, fresh water and solids from recoverable oil. All separated oil and waste solids are removed by truck.  Salt and fresh water may be process through  tanks consisting of weir process baffling then transferred to an approved Salt Water Disposal Facility. Any quantity of crude oil resulting from the separation process is stored in facility tanks for removal by tank trucks. As this pertains to Waste Oil Reclamation facilities, all oil product vessels’ with capacities of 55 gallons or more must be addressed in the plan.  

If the facility could reasonably expect an oil spill to reach navigable waters, an SPCC Plan is required.  The Coast Guard interpretation includes not only the traditional navigable waters but all streams, ditches, storm sewers,  rivers, lakes or other bodies of water.

SPCC Regulations

A properly compliant SPCC plan will cover all applicable regulations and include a detailed discussion of the following:

• A detail listing of all oil product vessels of 55 gallons or more.
• Provide secondary containment of sufficient length, breadth and height to contain 110% (for rainfall freeboard) of the total maximum capacity of the largest vessel within the facility to accommodate rainfall freeboard. The largest vessel may be the total volume of tanks permanently manifolded together.  The secondary containment shall be constructed of earth, steel, concrete or solid masonry to be impervious to withstand a full hydrostatic head and be restricted to 6 feet above interior grade.
• For newly constructed facilities, the State of Texas is now requiring that the secondary containment be capable of containing 100% of the total vessel storage capacities.
• Topographical Maps showing distance to any waterways, intermittent streams or bodies of water.
• Diagram of facility detailing the location of all oil product storage vessels and the primary direction of drainage from the facility
• Reference to specific applicable EPA regulations
• An Oil Spill Contingency Plan detailing all actions to be taken in the event of a major oil spill and a Written Commitment of Manpower, Equipment and Materials signed by management.
• Employee training directives and applicable records
• Inspection and reporting forms
• Loading and Unloading areas’ spill catch sumps operation as well as general spill prevention procedures and equipment..