TULSA, Oklahoma, Dec. 12, 2018/Petroleum Equipment Institute/ -- The newest PEI recommended practice clarifies tank closure confusion and the patchwork of tank decommissioning practices that blanket the U.S.

Recommended Practices for the Closure of Underground Storage Tank (UST) and Shop-Fabricated Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Systems (PEI/RP1700) provides safe, environmentally friendly practices and procedures for the decommissioning, removal, closure in place, storage, transportation and off-site disposal of USTs and shop-fabricated ASTs that have contained petroleum products.

“The PEI Tank Closure Committee worked two years on this document to ensure workers, the public and the environment stay safe,” said Rick Long, executive vice president and general counsel at PEI. “RP1700 clarifies how to close tanks temporarily, permanently and, in every case, safely. The experts agree that anyone closing a tank must implement the proper safety measures long before closure begins. RP1700 is where to start and where to end.”

Long said RP1700 is especially important to the fueling industry because 30-year warranties are beginning to expire on thousands of USTs that were installed to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 1988 federal UST rule. The EPA estimated in March 2018 that 550,000 operational USTs remained at 300,000 U.S. sites.

Members of the PEI Tank Closure Committee are: Alex Ralston, Petcon Inc. (chairman); Carl Bayliss II, BC&C LLC; Danny Brevard, Accent Environmental Services Inc.; Todd Darrough, QuikTrip Corp., Ron Kingsbury, UST Services Corp.; Marshall Ryan, Unified Services of Texas Inc.; Steve Stookey, The Wills Group Inc.; Steve Thickstun, Advanced Fuel Systems Inc.; and Michael Williams, Crompco LLC. Tina Smith, JD2 Environmental Inc., served as the consultant.

To learn more about RP1700, see a complete table of contents or purchase a copy, visit www.pei.org/rp1700. PEI recommended practices are $40 for PEI members and approved regulators and $95 for nonmembers.

Founded in 1951, PEI is composed of more than 1,600 companies engaged in manufacturing and distributing equipment used in the fuel and fluid handling industry. Members are located in 50 states and 81 countries. PEI, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the leading authority and source of information for the fuel and fluid handling equipment and services industry. For more information, visit www.pei.org.