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FAQs
Question: What is a “UST”?
Answer: UST stands for Underground Storage Tank.
A UST may contain petroleum products or certain hazardous substances.
A UST is defined as a tank and any of its associated piping that has at
least 10% of its combined volume underground.
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Question: What does “AST”
stand for?
Answer: AST stands for Aboveground Storage Tank.
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Question: What is the EPA
Petroleum Bulk Storage (PBS) Law?
Answer: The EPA requires that all USTs 1,100-gallons
or greater storing petroleum or certain hazardous substances conform to
EPA regulations after December 22, 1998. Regulations require owners of
USTs to upgrade their sites as to prevent releases, detect releases and
correct the problems created by prior releases from their USTs.
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Question: What if I do not
upgrade my site to conform to EPA PBS requirements?
Answer: If owners and operators of PBS sites do no comply,
fines may be significant. State and Local municipality fines may also
occur.
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Question: What does a UST
removal consist of?
Answer: A UST (underground storage tank) is uncovered,
rendered free of ignitable vapors, cut open and cleaned of all product
and product residue. The UST is then excavated and removed along with
all associated piping. The tank is inspected for holes and the tank “grave”
is inspected for product release. The tank grave may be sampled for soil
contamination by extracting soil from the base and sidewalls of the tank
grave. The soil sample is then analyzed at a certified laboratory.
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Question: What does a UST
abandonment consist of?
Answer: The UST is uncovered, rendered free of ignitable
vapors, cut open and cleaned of all product and product residue. The tank
is then entered by a technician and visually inspects the tank for breaches.
Soil may also be extracted from the perimeter of the UST by means of drilling
through the UST and extracting soil samples or by “geoprobing”
around the UST from the surface. If any contaminated soil is detected
or breaches in the tank are observed, the tank must be removed from the
ground and the site remediated. If no problems are observed with the UST,
the tank may be filled with sand or concrete slurry, depending on local
municipality regulations.
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Question: How does my property
become rendered free of contamination?
Answer: If contaminated soil or groundwater is encountered,
it is required by law, in most states, that the acting state environmental
agency is notified. The remediation process begins by excavating contaminated
soil and/or contaminated liquids be pumped and removed from the site.
Long term remediation may be necessary by means of such methodologies,
but not limited to: pumping and treating contaminated ground water and/or
soil vapor extraction of volatile organic compounds.
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Question: What happens to
the contamination once it has left my site?
Answer: Northeast Environmental, Inc. transports all
waste to fully licensed facilities. Liquids are treated be separating
petroleum products from water. The petroleum is then recycled for industrial
use. Soils are treated by burning all volatile compounds leaving clean
fill as the end result.
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Question: Can Northeast
certify my site as free of contaminates at the conclusion of the site
remediation?
Answer: Northeast can provide its clients with tank abandonment
certifications, tank removal certification, PBS closure reports, and site
remediation reports.
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Question: Can Northeast
provide services for hazardous materials?
Answer: Northeast employees are trained for the handling
of hazardous materials for the proper clean up, classification, packing
and transportation to certified disposal facilities.
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Question: What is toxic
black mold?
Answer: The technical name is Stachybotrys chartarum
(Stachybotrys alra) Sometimes referred to as stachy for short. It is a
greenish-black mold. It can grow anywhere moisture occurs.
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Question: How do I know
if I have toxic black mold?
Answer: Not all mold is Stachybotrys chartarum mold.
Please remember that mold is everywhere, on surfaces and in your home.
Not all mold presents a problem. If you suspect you have a problem, please contact Northeast Environmental or a local professional who can help.
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