You Only Have ONE Chance at Secondary Containment
If your farm or business stores bulk quantities, over 1,320 cumulative gallons, of fuel, chemicals or fertilizer, regulations require that you protect the environment with a secondary containment system. These systems will help contain any spills or leaks that occur, prevent ground contamination and make cleanup easier with less down time.

   • ENVIRO-GUARD Steel Containment
   • Wooden Wall Containment
   • Concrete Drop-In
   • Earthen Dike Containment

What are Secondary Containment Systems?
Secondary containment systems are used in many industries — agriculture, petroleum, hazardous chemical and construction. These containment systems are used to contain all types of potentially hazardous liquids in case of a spill or leak and can be constructed of a variety of materials including impermeable geomembrane liners.

At J.C. Ramsdell Enviro Services, Inc., we offer a variety of containment systems that can safely provide secondary containment for any liquid you store. We recommend our custom, site specific, fabricated geosynthetic liners for all containment systems. These geomembrane liners will not crack like concrete, have less annual maintenance and have up to a twenty-year weathering warranty.

Our wooden systems, used mainly for non flammable liquids, utilize only grade number 1 southern yellow pine, pressure treated wood, treated to .6 density for rot, for all the structural support wood that touch soil. Wooden systems are commonly used for fertilizer secondary containment.

EPA Mandates for Petroleum
The Federal EPA requires companies and individuals with oil tanks (petroleum products or products that act like oil in water) to follow the Federal Clean Water Act of 1974. This Act includes the Oil Prevention Regulation (40 C.F.R.:112.1-112.15) that was amended July 17, 2002, again in April 17, 2003, and again August 11, 2004, to extend the deadline for preparing and implementing Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans. Most non farmer businesses should have their oil and fuel tanks contained as their deadline was November 2011. Farmers have been given an extension till May 10, 2013. Most home heating oil tanks and some farm use vegetable oils are excluded from the regulations.

The oil prevention regulation states that all oil tanks with a cumulative oil volume capacity at one site that has over 1,320 gallons must have an SPCC plan. Some things included but not limited to the SPCC plan are-having an impermeable floor (which is secondary containment), recordkeeping, inspections, safety training, drainage, integrity testing and other items the EPA has determined necessary for a safe and secure fuel facility. Commercial bulk fuel locations and other businesses with oil tanks over 55 gallons and an aggregate total of over 1,320 gallons of capacity at one site must fully implement an SPCC plan by now. 55 gallon motor oil barrels are included in the total gallons at one site. Farmers have an extension till May of 2013 to implement an SPCC Plan except as noted below. 

The EPA has relaxed the SPCC rules for farms a bit as to fencing, loadpads and the like. If a farm started operations on or before August 16, 2002, the farm must maintain its existing SPCC plan and amend as needed and implement the updated plan. If a farm began operations after August 16, 2002, then it must prepare and implement an SPCC plan by May 2013. Most EPA regions have the authority to pursue enforcement of the existing rules as they deem necessary if there is reasonable potential for pollution in the event of a spill.

For farmers there may be cost sharing available through the NRCS's EQIP fund. Contact your local USDA NRCS office to see if money is available in your county.

Installation Made Easy
Ease of installation, durability, portability and low cost all describe our secondary containment systems, so be assured that you will be able to easily set up your system. If you would like the containment system installed J.C. Ramsdell has crews that can install the secondary containment system for you.

   • No special tools are required for steel containment installation
   • Our steel systems can be configured in round, oval, square, and rectangle shapes.
   • We use only hardened, automobile-grade galvanized steel