The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed The Clean Water Act in 1972. This regulatory initiative applies to facilities in a wide range of industries. As outlined by the original legislation, the goal of the Clean Water Act is to prevent contaminants, such as oil or oil-related products, from reaching navigable waterways.
SPCC plans—or spill prevention control and countermeasures plans—are designed to help facilities ensure that their operations do not result in a deleterious impact on the environment. SPCC plans do not exclusively apply to facilities that operate in proximity to large bodies of water or shorelines.
Even if a facility is seemingly removed from large bodies of water, contaminants can still reach navigable waterways through storm drains, ground seepage or drainage systems. This overview will help landlocked facilities understand the SPCC requirements and outline the spill containment solutions designed to provide regulatory compliance.
Who is Required to Have an SPCC Plan?
Any facility that stores and uses large amounts of oil or oil-related products may be subject to SPCC regulations. An SPCC plan details action steps that a facility has taken to prevent contaminants from reaching navigable waterways. According to the EPA, the SPCC regulations apply to facilities that:
Store, transfer or use oil. Facilities that store, transfer or use oil or oil-related products, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, vegetable oil or animal fat.
Store large quantities of oil. Facilities that store more than 1,320 gallons in above-ground containers—counting only containers that store 55 gallons or more—or 42,000 gallons in completely buried containers.
Could contaminate waterways. Facilities that store oil or oil-related products that could reasonably be expected to discharge into navigable waters of the U.S. or adjoining shorelines, such as lakes, rivers and streams.
Spill Containment Solutions Designed to Offer Compliance
Spill containment solutions for landlocked facilities are primarily designed to prevent oil or other liquids from seeping into drainage systems, groundwater or other waterways that could lead to environmental contamination. To help your facility comply with SPCC regulations, here is a look at some of the products designed to prevent contaminants from impacting local waterways.
Berms. Flexible containment berms from Basic Concepts are designed to provide temporary secondary spill containment for a wide range of oil storage or transportation units. A berm will prevent oil or other liquids from escaping into drains or waterways in the event of a leak or spill. Many berms from BCI—such as the Rigid-Lock QuickBerm—feature drive over capabilities that allow for easy loading and unloading.
Washdown berms. Wash down berms are designed to capture and contain wastewater and other liquids that can escape during vehicle or equipment cleaning. These berms can help your facility comply with EPA requirements by preventing detergents, phosphates or other harmful chemicals from reaching navigable waterways.
Storm drain covers. Storm drain covers can help prevent wastewater or other chemicals from entering waterways. The Clean Water Act prohibits facilities from discharging wastewater into storm drains. By placing a storm drain cover over the drains in your facility, you can comply with regulatory requirements by preventing run-off from escaping into the drainage system and negatively impacting the environment.
Find the Spill Containment Solutions that are Right for You
Basic Concepts is the industry leader in innovative spill containment solutions. Our secondary containment products are used in industrial facilities, commercial operations and military installations all over the world. We can help your facility find the necessary equipment to meet regulatory compliance and prevent contaminants from reaching navigable waterways. Take a look at our extensive product inventory and find the secondary spill containment solution that is right for your facility.