Compliance & Data
COMPLIANCE & DATA
Documentation for Environmental Assessment, Site Planning and Regulatory Review
The use of secondary containment systems during the handling, storage and refueling of oil, diesel and other potentially polluting substances in the UK is governed through a combination of environmental legislation, groundwater protection principles, oil storage regulations and site-specific environmental assessment. In practice, assessments are typically risk- and site-based, meaning that factors such as groundwater vulnerability, proximity to watercourses, operational duration, precipitation exposure and the overall environmental risk profile of the activity are often taken into account when determining what level of protection is considered appropriate.
This page summarizes how O-SCP relates to relevant UK requirements concerning secondary containment, pollution prevention, precipitation management, operational control and environmental due diligence. It also outlines how the system may be assessed within different operational and environmental contexts, particularly where traditional permanent containment structures are impractical or disproportionate relative to the nature and duration of the activity.
The purpose of this material is not to replace site-specific assessment, regulatory interpretation or dialogue with the relevant authority, but rather to provide a consolidated technical and regulatory overview of how O-SCP is intended to function and be evaluated within its intended use areas.nded to function and be assessed within its intended operational context.
How Secondary Containment Is Typically Assessed in the UK
Within the UK regulatory framework, environmental assessment is generally focused on functional performance rather than one predefined technical design. In practice, the central issue is whether the operator can demonstrate that:
- spills and leaks are prevented from reaching soil, groundwater or surface water,
- secondary containment remains functional during rainfall and outdoor operation,
- environmental risks are controlled proportionately to the site conditions,
- and that inspection and spill management can be carried out over time.
This becomes particularly relevant for:
- temporary construction sites,
- mobile fueling operations,
- infrastructure projects,
- environmentally sensitive locations,
- and semi-permanent worksites where permanent containment infrastructure may be impractical.
At the same time, several parts of UK environmental guidance and operational practice indicate that simpler liner or bund solutions without controlled precipitation management may have limited long-term robustness during prolonged outdoor use.
O-SCP is specifically intended to address these operational limitations by combining:
- impermeable secondary containment,
- controllable spill retention,
- integrated precipitation management,
- and reversible deployment
within a unified environmental protection system designed for real-world outdoor conditions.
See How Swedish Municipalities Assessed the Use of Secondary Containment
Using the interactive map below, you can explore how Swedish municipalities have reasoned around the use of ground-based secondary containment systems within the intended operational context of O-SCP. By selecting a municipality, you can view summaries of relevant responses, recurring environmental concerns, local conditions and other information that may be relevant when evaluating the use of O-SCP.
As part of the study, all 290 municipalities in Sweden were contacted. Responses were received from 214 municipalities, of which 169 contained sufficiently relevant information to be included in the final compilation. Of these:
- 148 municipalities were assessed as positive or generally open to the solution (marked green), 20 municipalities were assessed as conditionally open depending on site conditions and environmental risk (marked yellow), and 1 municipality was assessed as negative or clearly hesitant (marked red).
- Light grey municipalities responded but did not provide a sufficiently clear position regarding the solution.
- Dark grey municipalities did not respond.
The purpose of the study was not to obtain formal approvals, but rather to better understand how environmental authorities reason around: secondary containment, precipitation management, controllability, groundwater protection, spill prevention, and environmental risk management in practice.
The information should therefore be viewed as indicative and based on the responses received from each municipality. Assessments may vary between individual case officers, consultants and local authorities, and each site is ultimately evaluated according to its specific environmental conditions and operational risks.
Environmental Assessment and External Review
O-SCP has undergone environmental assessment through Ekokvalitet, a Swedish environmental assessment organization focused on materials, environmental performance and sustainability within construction and infrastructure environments.
The assessment has been carried out with focus on:
- material composition,
- intended operational use,
- environmental risk considerations,
- chemical content,
- and suitability within demanding outdoor construction and contractor environments.
O-SCP has been developed for environments where documented functionality, spill control and reduced environmental risk are often expected as part of environmental management and operational due diligence.
The assessment may therefore function as supplementary documentation during dialogue with:
- clients,
- environmental consultants,
- contractors,
- and environmental authorities.
The system’s material selection and construction are also intended to align with the types of chemical and environmental requirements commonly encountered within modern construction sustainability frameworks and environmental review systems, including considerations relating to:
- material transparency,
- chemical control,
- and restriction of particularly undesirable substances.
The assessment should be viewed as technical and environmental supporting documentation and does not replace site-specific environmental assessment, regulatory review or project-specific approval requirements that may apply depending on local legislation, environmental sensitivity or operational context.
Regulations and Environmental Practice
The handling of diesel, waste oil and other petroleum products in the UK is regulated through a combination of environmental legislation, groundwater protection guidance, oil storage regulations, planning considerations and operational environmental practice. For operators, this generally means that the primary focus is placed on functional environmental protection rather than exact technical design. In practice, the central requirement is normally to demonstrate that spills and leaks cannot easily reach soil, groundwater or surface water, and that containment measures remain functional, controllable and proportionate to the environmental risk of the site.
O-SCP has been developed within this legal and operational framework and is intended to function as a preventive secondary containment measure for fueling, storage and operation of oil- and fuel-containing equipment, particularly in environments where permanent concrete infrastructure may be impractical or where simpler liner-based solutions may not provide sufficient precipitation management, controllability or operational reliability during long-term outdoor use.
At the same time, the regulatory landscape is complex. Depending on the operational context, site sensitivity and project characteristics, assessment may involve environmental legislation, groundwater protection requirements, oil storage regulations, Environment Agency guidance, local planning considerations and project-specific environmental management requirements. Below follows a summary of the legislation, regulatory principles and environmental guidance most relevant to O-SCP and its intended areas of use.
Documentation for Dialogue With Environmental Authorities and Consultants
Depending on site conditions and project sensitivity, operators may be expected to demonstrate or document several aspects relating to the use of secondary containment systems.
Typical supporting documentation may include:
- product description,
- installation instructions,
- site layout drawings,
- environmental risk assessment,
- containment sizing and capacity calculations,
- operational inspection routines,
- spill response procedures,
- rainfall and runoff inspection procedures,
- documentation of fill material,
- and, where relevant, simple water level verification or inspection points.
