Home heating oil contains several substances that are known carcinogens. Ground water pollution and vapor hazards are the most important concerns associated with leaking underground storage tanks. The lack of construction, installation, monitoring and closure controls for the unregulated underground storage tank increases the potential for these problems to occur. Without proper monitoring and testing of the tank and piping, leakage may go undetected until a major and costly problem has occurred. Sensitive ground water areas are those areas near public or private water supply wells and areas of aquifer recharge.
Property damage can include seepage into buildings and damaged buried telephone conduits.
Banks, mortgage companies and real estate brokers sometimes require a site assessment of properties which contain unregulated underground storage tanks to avoid these problems and their associated liability. Vapor leakage from tanks depends upon soil and weather conditions from underground tanks. Leakage can cause health problems ranging from nausea to respiratory distress. Another problem is possible combustion and fire, which is a concern for tanks next to buildings since vapors may leak into the building. Other less frequent problems associated with underground storage tanks include spills from overfilling the tank.