40 CFR § 261.191 - Assessment of existing tank system's integrity.

(a) Tank systems must meet the secondary containment requirements of § 261.193, or the remanufacturer or other person that handles the hazardous secondary material must determine that the tank system is not leaking or is unfit for use. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a written assessment reviewed and certified by a qualified Professional Engineer must be kept on file at the remanufacturer's facility or other facility that stores or treats the hazardous secondary material that attests to the tank system's integrity.

(b) This assessment must determine that the tank system is adequately designed and has sufficient structural strength and compatibility with the material(s) to be stored or treated, to ensure that it will not collapse, rupture, or fail. At a minimum, this assessment must consider the following:

(1) Design standard(s), if available, according to which the tank and ancillary equipment were constructed;

(2) Hazardous characteristics of the material(s) that have been and will be handled;

(3) Existing corrosion protection measures;

(4) Documented age of the tank system, if available (otherwise, an estimate of the age); and

(5) Results of a leak test, internal inspection, or other tank integrity examination such that:

(i) For non-enterable underground tanks, the assessment must include a leak test that is capable of taking into account the effects of temperature variations, tank end deflection, vapor pockets, and high water table effects, and

(ii) For other than non-enterable underground tanks and for ancillary equipment, this assessment must include either a leak test, as described above, or other integrity examination that is certified by a qualified Professional Engineer that addresses cracks, leaks, corrosion, and erosion.

Note to paragraph (b)(5)(ii):

The practices described in the American Petroleum Institute (API) Publication, Guide for Inspection of Refinery Equipment, Chapter XIII, “Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks,” 4th edition, 1981, may be used, where applicable, as guidelines in conducting other than a leak test.

(c) If, as a result of the assessment conducted in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, a tank system is found to be leaking or unfit for use, the remanufacturer or other person that stores or treats the hazardous secondary material must comply with the requirements of § 261.196.