Maine DEP requires secondary containment at North Berwick transfer station; town to budget work for spring
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Summary
Town staff reported a Maine DEP finding that waste-oil storage at the transfer station must have secondary containment; town will seek quotes and has until spring to comply, with an estimated cost of $5,000–$10,000.
Town staff told the Board of Selectmen that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has required secondary containment for the transfer station’s waste-oil storage because transfer-station rules differ from other municipal sites.
The transfer station manager said DEP allowed the town to delay work until spring to avoid winter handling complications; staff will gather quotes and expects the preferred approach is to replace existing tanks with double-wall containment tanks.
The manager provided numbers and options: the facility currently uses 330-gallon tanks, the site consumes roughly 1,500 gallons of waste oil a year, and replacement costs for the tanks plus connectivity and labor are likely to be in the $6,000 per tank range with a total project estimate “near the $10,000 range” for the full installation. The manager said another option — pouring a containment pad and reconfiguring piping — was under consideration but would take more space and additional piping work.
The manager said the town inspects tanks daily and that the DEP recognized the town’s current practice of burning the waste oil reduces some risk; DEP still requires secondary containment as a regulatory matter.
Staff plan: obtain formal pricing from HVAC and tank vendors, consider hiring a contractor to remove oil before spring if necessary, and return to the board with firm figures. The manager said there are funds available in existing accounts to pay for the work if it becomes necessary.
Ending: The board requested cost estimates and a proposal for spring work; staff will return with firm quotes and a recommendation during the budget cycle if the town opts not to use emergency funds.