Oil Spill Response

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminants of concern are based on the type of substance, usually a liquid, being stored in the UST. Petroleum products (e.g., motor fuels, petroleum solvents, heating oil, lubricants, used oil) consist of the majority of UST's, however any number of hazardous substances may also be stored in UST's. Common contaminants of concern for petroleum substances include:

• Hydrocarbons
  
  
• BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene)
  
  
• methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)
  
  
• lead

Any oil spill can pose a serious threat to human health and the environment, requires remediation that extends beyond your facility's boundary, and results in substantial cleanup costs. Even a small spill can have a serious impact. A single pint of oil released into the water can cover one acre of water surface area and can seriously damage an aquatic habitat. A spill of only one gallon of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water.

• BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene)
  
  
• Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) (octane booster and clean air additive for gasoline)
  
  
• Carbon dioxide (inerting atmosphere, byproduct of combustion)
  
  
• Carbon monoxide (byproduct of combustion)
  
  
• Benzo(a)pyrene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (formed when oil or gasoline burns)
  
  
• Hydrogen sulfide (oils high in sulfur, decaying plants and animals)
  
  
• Sulfuric acid (byproduct of combustion of sour petroleum product)