How do you get rid of diesel bug in red diesel?

In brief

Remove the water the microbes live in, pump out the sludge, clean the tank, and treat the remaining fuel with a biocide only on specialist advice. Badly infected tanks are better emptied and the fuel recovered off site. Call 07950 582635 or send an enquiry.

Using the red diesel afterwards

Not until the tank has been cleaned and the fuel treated or replaced. Using it spreads the contamination through filters and pipework.

Preventing diesel bug in red diesel

Keep water out and drain it off regularly, keep tanks reasonably full, turn stored fuel over where possible, and test fuel in long-stored tanks such as standby generators.

How City Fuel Services handles waste red diesel

Send us the five details: business and postcode, roughly how much waste red diesel there is, what it is and any contamination, how it is stored and reached, and whether you need one collection or regular ones. We assess it, confirm a rebate or a collection charge, and collect on a consignment note.

Terms used in this answer

IBC (intermediate bulk container): A plastic tank, usually holding 1,000 litres, in a steel cage on a pallet base. The most common container for drained fuel.
Diesel bug: Bacteria and fungi that grow where water meets diesel in a tank. They form slime and sludge that block filters.

Key facts
Problem	Diesel bug in Red diesel
Recoverable?	Often partly.
Fuel	Red diesel
Also called	gas oil, rebated diesel, marked gas oil
Waste code	13 07 01* (fuel oil and diesel)