Heating Oil Tanks

Heating oil tanks are used to provide heat to homes and can be located above or below ground. Oil tanks have shown to be an environmental hazard, especially underground tanks, due to risk of leaks, fires and explosions. If you have an unused heating oil tank on your property you may still be held liable for any potential future clean up costs. It is the property owner's responsibility to regularly inspect their heating oil tank to prevent spills. Most insurance companies will not cover costs related to an oil spill.

How to Report a Spill

Locate the leak/spill, work to contain it and clean the effected area. Do not dump any oil down the drain or into the sewer system as this can have detrimental effects on the environment.

Report a heating oil tank leak or spill immediately by contacting the emergency Management BC Emergency Response (1-800-663-3456) and your local non-emergency phone number for your local fire department.

Heating Oil Tank Removal

 If you’d like to remove your home’s oil tank you must follow these steps:

  1. Municipal permits not required for the removal of heating oil tanks. Check with your local government if outside of North Cowichan.
  2. Hire a qualified contactor who can safely remove and empty your heating oil tank.
  3. Empty tanks can be recycled as scrap metal which are accepted for drop off at the following locations:
    1. Peerless Road Recycling Centre & Garbage Drop-Off Depot,10830 Peerless Road, Ladysmith BC (250)-746-2540
    2. Bings Creek Recycling Centre & Garbage Drop-Off Depot, 3900 Drinkwater Road, Duncan BC (250)-746-2540
    3. GFL Environmental Duncan, 3015 Boys Rd, Duncan BC (250) 746-4573
    4. GFL Environmental Chemainus, 9401 Trans Canada Highway, Chemainus BC (250) 246-3216

Rebates

Heating your home using an oil tank releases more greenhouse gas emissions than other heating alternatives. There are rebates available through CleanBC’s Better Homes program for installing a more ecofriendly heating system in your home, such as a heat pump. To search for which CleanBC rebates you may qualify for, use their rebate search tool.

 

Last edited: June 10, 2022.

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