What should a tank installer or decommissioning contractor do with red diesel tank sludge?

In brief

A tank installer or decommissioning contractor that finds sludge in red diesel tanks should stop using the fuel, keep it contained and away from drains, and have it assessed for collection. Sludge is drawn into the fuel lines when tanks run low or are stirred up by a delivery, blocking filters and starving engines, boilers and generators of fuel. Call 07950 582635 or send an enquiry.

Sludge in red diesel tanks at tank contractors

At tank contractors, fuel and sludge left in tanks being replaced, cleaned or decommissioned. Sludge is the thick layer that collects at the bottom of fuel tanks over years: water, microbial growth, rust, dirt and degraded fuel settling together.

Collecting red diesel tank sludge from tank contractors

Customer tanks of every size. Job by job.

Rules at tank contractors

Tanks must be emptied, cleaned and made safe before removal, and the customer is usually the waste producer.

Is red diesel tank sludge still worth collecting?

Mostly no.

How City Fuel Services handles waste red diesel

City Fuel Services buys, collects and handles waste red diesel for businesses, public bodies, farms and households. Describe the load and we come back with terms before booking the collection.

Terms used in this answer

Consignment note: The document that travels with hazardous waste from the producer to the receiving site. Each person in the chain completes and signs their part.
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	Sludge in Red diesel
Sector	Tank installers and decommissioning contractors
Fuel	Red diesel
Also called	gas oil, rebated diesel, marked gas oil
Waste code	13 07 01* (fuel oil and diesel)