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Over a dozen years ago, when we analyzed the problem of oil tanks leaking because they were rusting out from the inside, we came to the following conclusions:

• Oil tanks made of 14-gauge steel were too thin and therefore rusted out too quickly.  A thicker, 12-gauge steel tank was needed.

• Water was condensing inside oil tanks and sinking to the bottom, causing tanks to rust out prematurely.  Furthermore, existing tanks had no way of getting rid of this water.

We therefore decided that we would never again supply a 14-gauge tank to a customer, whether they were paying for it or we were replacing it under an equipment coverage program.

We also decided to solve the problem of water sitting at the bottom of the tank and rusting it out.  We developed, in conjunction with Parsborough Industries of Nova Scotia, a BOSS tank (Bottom Opening Storage System) - a tank that had a special concave outlet at the bottom of the tank instead of a standard outlet at the end of the tank.  Then we installed the tank so that the end of the tank with the outlet was a little lower than the other end.  The result was that any water that condensed in the tank would be the first to flow out.  And any tank that only has oil in it will not rust - at least not from the inside!

To collect the water that that is removed from the tank we install two filters (not just the one filter that is typical of most tank installations).  In this way the water that has drained from the tank will be filtered out before it is used in your equipment.

This combination of the BOSS tank and the installation method has proved so successful that we still use it today.

This may not seem like a major step in the fight against pollution - but over the course of a dozen years this represents thousands of oil tanks that are not rusting from the inside out, and which therefore reduce the danger of leaking oil into the environment.

Besides installing this type of tank as the minimum level of quality for an oil tank, we have also been recommending that our customers purchase a high-end oil tank, such as one of the following:

1. The Roth Safety Tank,  This tank has a full secondary containment of the primary tank, and is so reliable that the manufacturer provides a one million dollar limited liability policy due to leaks.  This tank has been assigned a useable life of 50 years in service by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

2. The ZCL Composites fibreglass tank.  This double-wall tank is made of non-rusting fibreglass, and also carries a manufacturer's warranty that provides up to $1.0 million on-site clean-up coverage for 10 years from date of purchase.  This tank has been assigned a useable life of 40 years in service by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

3. The Safe Tank is manufactured here in Newfoundland by Concept Atlantic Corporation.  It consists of an outer steel tank and an inner High Density Polyethylene inner tank.  This tank has been assigned a useable life of 40 years in service by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.