Three Major Challenges in Ground Storage Tank Painting and Linings

Ground storage tank fabrication companies encounter several recurring challenges related to protective coatings (paints) and linings. The three biggest challenges involve issues in the application process, the long-term performance of coatings, and meeting stringent regulatory standards. Below, we break down each challenge, explain why these issues occur, their impact on the industry, and best practices or solutions to mitigate them.

Challenge 1: Application Process Issues

Applying paints or linings to large tanks is a complex process, and many things can go wrong during application. Common problems include improper surface preparation, uncontrolled environmental conditions, and curing complications. These issues often stem from rushed schedules, inadequate training, or lack of proper equipment, and they can severely compromise the coating’s effectiveness.

Surface Preparation Flaws

Inadequate surface prep is frequently cited as the number one cause of coating failures, responsible for an estimated 60–80% of premature failures. If the steel or concrete substrate isn’t cleaned and profiled to specification (e.g. blasting to remove rust, old paint, oil, and to create the proper roughness), the new coating cannot adhere well. 

Any residual contaminants (rust, dust, oil, mill scale, etc.) or a lack of surface “anchor” profile will lead to weak adhesion. This often results in blistering, peeling, or flaking of the coating soon after application. For example, failing to remove all dust or “laitance” after blasting concrete can cause the lining to chip and peel prematurely.

Impact: Poor surface prep means the coating may start failing within months, exposing the tank to corrosion or chemical attack much earlier than expected. Recoating or repairs become necessary far sooner, driving up maintenance costs and downtime.

Best practices:

• Follow industry surface prep standards (such as SSPC/NACE specifications).
• Abrasive blast to the recommended cleanliness (often SSPC-SP10/NACE No.2 near-white metal for immersion service) and achieve the coating manufacturer’s required profile depth.
• Immediately prior to painting, ensure the surface is clean, dry, and dust-free – even a brief delay can allow flash rust or dust to settle, so use brushes, clean air blow-downs, and inspections before coating.

Environmental Conditions (Humidity, Temperature, Dew Point)

Coatings must be applied under the right environmental conditions. High humidity or low steel temperatures can cause condensation on the surface (if the steel is at or below the dew point), leading to flash rust and poor adhesion. Painting over a damp or cold surface often results in blistering and delamination as the trapped moisture or condensation prevents the coating from bonding. 

Wind and dust can also contaminate wet paint, and extreme temperatures (too cold or too hot) can affect how the coating flows and cures. If the weather is too cold, coatings (especially epoxies) may not cure properly; if too hot or the sun is warming the tank, solvents can evaporate too quickly or concrete can “outgas” vapor, causing pinholes and bubbles in the coating

Impact: When coatings are applied outside their specified conditions, the finish may be uneven or prone to early failure. For instance, a sudden temperature drop or rising humidity can ruin an entire paint job, requiring costly rework. Inconsistent curing can leave soft or uncured spots that fail in service.

Best practices: 

• Monitor and control environmental conditions during application.
• Use tools like hygrometers to check humidity and surface temperature; a rule of thumb is to keep the steel at least 5°F (3°C) above the dew point during coating.
• If working in humid or cold climates, employ dehumidification equipment or heaters inside containment to create a suitable painting environment.
• Schedule coatings work for optimal times of day (e.g. apply coatings when temperatures are falling rather than rising to avoid outgassing from concrete).
• In critical projects, enclose and ventilate the area to protect from wind, dust, and precipitation.
• Adhering to the coating manufacturer’s specified temperature and humidity range is essential – this information is in the product data sheet and should be treated as a hard requirement, not a suggestion.

Application Technique and Curing Problems

Even with a clean, dry surface and good weather, mistakes in application technique or curing can lead to defects. Common application issues include uneven film thickness, missed spots (holidays) on edges or weld seams, and improper mixing or thinning of the product. Coating edges and corners is notoriously difficult – without special care (like stripe coating these areas by brush before a full spray coat), sharp edges often end up with a thinner film that can fail early. 

Similarly, if the painter applies the coating too thick in one pass, solvents can get trapped within the film and later cause bubbling or premature failure (solvent entrapment happens if the film is too thick, the temperature is too low, or the curing is too fast). 

In multi-coat systems, improper curing between coats or phenomena like amine blush can also cause adhesion failure between layers. For example, epoxy linings applied in cool, humid conditions can develop an amine blush (a greasy or waxy film) that will prevent the next coat from bonding if not removed.

Impact: These application errors reduce the protective performance of the lining. Thin spots or pinholes become corrosion hot-spots – moisture or chemicals will seep through those weak points and attack the steel underneath. A single holiday (missed uncoated spot) in an immersion service tank can concentrate corrosion at that point, risking a leak if not detected. 

Over-thick applications that don’t cure properly might later blister or peel off, undermining the entire system. Each of these defects shortens the coating’s lifespan and can lead to expensive repairs or environmental/safety incidents (like a tank leak or contamination of the stored product).

Best practices:

• Applicators should use wet film thickness gauges frequently to ensure even coverage and avoid thin spots or overly thick areas.
• Implement a “stripe coating” step – apply an extra stripe of coating by brush to all welds, edges, nuts, and other sharp geometry before or between spray coats, to build adequate thickness on these vulnerable areas.
• Follow the manufacturer’s mix ratio and induction time (for epoxies) precisely, and do not arbitrarily thin the product unless specified.
• Each coat should be given the recommended cure time; if the window between coats is exceeded or conditions were suboptimal (risking amine blush on an epoxy), surfaces should be lightly abraded or cleaned as directed before the next coat.
• Holiday testing (spark testing) of tank linings is a best practice to find any pinholes or missed spots so they can be repaired before the tank is put in service.
• Ensure painters are using proper technique (steady even spray, correct nozzle, etc.) and are well-trained – many failures come down to human error, so having certified, experienced applicators and a third-party NACE-certified coating inspector to monitor the process can catch mistakes early.

Inadequate Training or Resources

Sometimes the root cause of application issues is simply using unqualified crews or cutting corners under time pressure. Coating manufacturers provide detailed product datasheets and application guidelines, and most failures occur when these guidelines aren’t followed. For instance, a contractor unfamiliar with a fast-curing lining might not mix small enough batches, leading to wasted material and improper application as the coating “kicks over” (hardens) in the spray lines. Or a low-bid contractor might lack proper equipment like high-pressure plural component sprayers needed for 100% solids coatings, resulting in poorly applied linings.

Impact: Using untrained or ill-equipped personnel often leads to the issues described above (poor prep, bad technique). The tank owner may face a failed coating soon after project completion, requiring warranty claims or even legal disputes, and the fabrication company’s reputation can suffer. 

There are also safety risks – painting in confined spaces (like inside a tank) requires specialized safety measures (ventilation, respirators, etc.) and an unqualified crew could endanger themselves or others.

Best practices: 

• Hire or train certified professionals. The industry has certification programs (formerly NACE and SSPC, now under AMPP) for both individuals and contractors. For example, SSPC’s Painting Contractor Certification Programs ensure a contractor has the capability to do surface prep and coating work correctly. Many facility owners require contractors to hold an SSPC-QP1 or QP2 certification for field painting, which verifies they follow proper procedures (including safety and environmental practices).
• Investing in workforce training, following manufacturer instructions to the letter, and not rushing the job will greatly reduce application errors.
• It’s often worthwhile to have an independent coating inspector on site to verify conditions, surface prep quality, and wet/dry film thickness at each stage – this extra oversight can catch mistakes early and prevent a costly failure later.

Challenge 2: Performance & Longevity Issues

Even after a tank is successfully coated and lined, ensuring the coating performs well over its intended lifespan is a major challenge. Many factors can lead to premature coating degradation or failure in service: corrosion pressures, chemical exposure, physical stresses, and even the inherent limitations of the coating material. A failure in performance can be catastrophic – it might mean the tank begins to corrode, potentially leaking its contents or requiring an unplanned shutdown for repairs. 

Here we outline the key longevity issues and why they occur, along with their impact and mitigation strategies.

Corrosion and Under-Film Breakdown

The primary purpose of tank coatings and linings is to prevent corrosion of the tank’s metal (or protect concrete from chemical attack). If the coating system fails to do this – even in small areas – corrosion will set in and spread. Any defect in the coating, such as a pinhole, scratch, or thin spot, becomes a focus for rust or chemical attack. 

In water immersion service, for example, a holiday (tiny uncoated spot) exposes the steel and creates a local anode where aggressive corrosion rapidly occurs, often accelerating at that point due to high current density. Over time, this can lead to pitting or structural thinning of the tank wall/floor, which is extremely dangerous for steel tanks (risk of leaks or even rupture) and damaging to concrete tanks (chemical penetration and spalling). 

Why it occurs: Corrosion beneath or at breaks in the coating can occur if the coating was applied improperly (leaving voids), damaged in service, or simply degraded with time. Coatings themselves can deteriorate and lose thickness, for example due to weathering or chemical softening, eventually exposing the substrate. If the coating selection was not suited for the environment (e.g. a standard epoxy used in a high-chloride brine tank), the protective barrier can be compromised quickly, allowing corrosion to begin. 

Impact: Once corrosion starts under a coating, the damage tends to spread – rust can creep underneath and disbond more coating. This reduces the tank’s structural integrity and can contaminate the stored product (e.g. causing discoloration or particulate in water, or causing product losses in oil tanks). The industry spends huge amounts on repairing corrosion damage; one analysis noted that microbiologically-influenced corrosion and similar processes cause billions of dollars in damage to water and sewer infrastructure annually. 

For tank operators, a corroding tank means more frequent inspections, patch repairs, or even taking the tank out of service for complete re-lining or plate replacement. In the worst case, a through-wall leak can spill hazardous contents, with environmental cleanup costs and safety hazards. 

Solutions:

• Ensure the initial coating job is high quality with no holidays (use holiday detectors to fix any before the tank is used)
• Choose coatings appropriate for the specific service environment with proven corrosion resistance
• For critical water tanks, combine coatings with cathodic protection systems (sacrificial anodes or impressed current) so that if any bare metal is exposed, the corrosion reaction is suppressed by the CP system
• Conduct regular inspections and maintenance, as even the best coating will slowly degrade
• Tank owners should periodically inspect for any signs of coating breakdown (blisters, rust spots, etc.) and repair them early before corrosion spreads
• Catch small coating failures and touch up or re-coat in a timely manner to safely extend the tank’s life and avert major failures

Chemical or UV Degradation of Coatings

Tanks are used to store all manner of products (water, petroleum, chemicals, foods) and are exposed to various environmental conditions. One key challenge is ensuring the chosen lining material can withstand the chemical and physical environment over time. Many premature failures are due to using a coating that is not fully compatible with the stored liquid or with external weather conditions. For example, if a lining does not have sufficient chemical resistance to the product, it can soften, blister, or even dissolve upon prolonged exposure. 

Some fast-curing coatings like certain polyureas have very quick set times that might not allow them to properly “wet” the substrate; such coatings may work for splash zones but actually dissolve or break down under full immersion if not a proper formulation. 

Similarly, for exteriors, UV radiation from sunlight will degrade many coatings – epoxy paints chalk and lose thickness under UV, and bright-colored coatings can fade. If a tank’s exterior paint chalks and thins without maintenance, the underlying primer can eventually be exposed, leading to corrosion starting on the outside. 

Why it occurs: Every coating has performance limits. If those limits are exceeded (by chemical exposure, temperature, UV, or abrasion), the coating’s polymer matrix can break down. For instance, a regular epoxy lining might not resist strong acids or certain solvents – contact leads to chemical reactions that cause loss of adhesion or pinhole formation. Or if a coating continuously experiences temperatures above its design (say a tank gets hotter than expected), it might embrittle or crack. UV causes polymer chains to break (hence chalking of paint), and if a UV-resistant topcoat wasn’t used, the coating will degrade faster. 

Impact: Premature degradation means the coating fails to protect for the intended interval. This can necessitate a full re-coating years earlier than planned, hitting the owner with unplanned costs. In a severe case, chemical attack on a lining could contaminate the stored material (imagine paint peeling into potable water, or a solvent leaching some coating component into a chemical product). 

If a lining blisters or peels due to incompatibility, large areas of metal may be exposed to corrosion very quickly. In external environments, a deteriorated coating makes the asset look poorly maintained (which is a concern for public water tanks in communities, for example) and eventually leads to rust bleeding through, again requiring repairs. 

Solutions:

• Fabricators should work closely with coating manufacturers to choose a system specifically formulated for the given service (consult chemical resistance charts and certifications)
• For potable water or food service, use only certified linings (NSF/ANSI 61 for drinking water, FDA-compliant for food) to ensure they won’t leach harmful substances and can handle the environment
• If a stored chemical is particularly aggressive, consider high-build novolac epoxies, phenolic epoxies, fluoropolymer linings, or even specialized rubber linings that are known to resist that class of chemical
• Always check the coating’s temperature limits and if needed, add insulation or cooling to a tank to keep temperatures within range
• For exterior coatings, use a UV-resistant topcoat (like a polyurethane or fluoropolymer finish) over epoxy primers so that the outer layer sacrifices itself to UV but protects the underlying layers
• Regular repainting schedules for exteriors (every X years depending on the paint) are important to refresh the UV protection and keep the tank looking and performing well
• Consider physical stresses: if a tank’s walls or floor flex (due to thermal expansion or settlement), a very rigid coating could crack – in such cases, a more flexible lining or one with crack-bridging ability should be selected to maintain integrity

Adhesion Failure and Disbondment

A frequent mode of failure over time is the coating simply losing adhesion in patches and peeling off the substrate. This can happen even if initial adhesion was good, due to various stresses or aging factors. 

One cause is poor adhesion from the start (as discussed in application issues), which might not show immediately but becomes obvious after some time in service – sections of lining might start flaking because they never truly bonded (perhaps due to invisible contaminants like soluble salts left on the steel). 

Another cause is moisture infiltration: if water finds a way behind the coating (through a scratch or porous area), it can cause the coating to blister and disbond. This is often osmotic blistering – salts on the substrate attract water through the coating, forming blisters; if those blisters burst or grow, the coating peels away. 

Why it occurs: Inadequate surface preparation (soluble salt contamination, oil, or mill scale not fully removed) is a known culprit for later adhesion loss – the coating might initially hide the issue, but under immersion or humidity, those contaminants cause loss of bond. Thermal cycling can also break the bond; steel and coating expand at different rates with temperature changes, so over years of hot-cold cycles, a marginally adhered coating can gradually delaminate. 

Additionally, some coatings become brittle with age and may lose adhesion if the substrate moves or if impacted. 

Impact: When a lining peels off, the protection is obviously gone in that area. Peeling can spread like “unzipping” – one weakness allows fluid behind the coating and pushes further areas off. The tank then suffers corrosion beneath the disbonded areas, often hidden until an inspection finds a large section of coating loose. This can necessitate an expensive repair: crews might have to abrasive blast and recoat an entire tank interior sooner than expected. 

For water tanks, disbonded linings can create serious water quality issues (chips of coating floating in water, or biofilms growing behind coating). In hydrocarbon tanks, lining pieces could clog filters or pumps, and bare steel could start corroding or contaminating products.

Solutions: 

• Ensure excellent initial adhesion through proper surface prep (blast to remove salts and contaminants; test for cleanliness using soluble salt meters or kits, and if salt levels are high, use methods like chloride washes to reduce them)
• Apply a stripe coat or additional coat on areas prone to stress (welds, edges) to help reinforce adhesion there
• For immersion service, select coatings with good flexibility or elongation to help them stay bonded if minor movements occur
• Inspect and repair minor blisters or disbonded spots early
• If an inspection finds a small area of peeling, drain the tank and patch that area (clean and recoat it) before it spreads
• Use cathodic protection in water tanks to reduce the corrosive force if disbondment happens, giving more time to respond
• In some cases, use liners like fiber-reinforced coatings or rubber linings for extra durability – these can resist disbondment better in harsh conditions but come with their own application challenges

Service Life vs. Maintenance Intervals

No coating lasts forever. A challenge for the industry is balancing the expected service life of a paint or lining system with practical maintenance intervals. Coatings in ideal conditions might last 15–20 years, but in real-world service they often fail sooner due to the factors above. 

Premature failures – such as a lining that was supposed to last 10 years blistering in 2 years – are particularly troublesome. One documented case showed severe corrosion and coating failure in a wastewater tank after just two years; analysis found the epoxy lining’s actual applied thickness was lower than specified and it had a porous structure, meaning it didn’t perform as the manufacturer claimed. Such outcomes can occur if a product is over-hyped or if the applicator didn’t achieve the proper thickness and cure. 

Why it occurs: Sometimes a mismatch between expected conditions and actual conditions leads to shorter life. Unexpected chemical impurities, higher-than-anticipated temperature, or changes in operation can all stress the coating more than planned. In other cases, it’s simply the natural degradation due to time – UV, moisture, and chemical exposure slowly break down the film. If maintenance (like periodic overcoating or cathodic protection anode replacement) is neglected, the coating’s effective life shortens. 

Impact: When a coating fails earlier than its intended life, the tank owner faces unplanned costs and potential lost service time. Fabrication companies and contractors may face warranty claims or reputation damage if their coating jobs don’t last as promised. There is also a safety/environment aspect: if a lining meant to provide corrosion protection fails, the tank could theoretically reach a failure condition (leak or structural compromise) if not caught in time. 

Solutions:

• Conduct regular inspections (as required by standards or owner programs) to assess coating condition and identify signs of aging – chalking, thinning, small blisters – and take action like overcoating before the underlying substrate is exposed
• Establish a maintenance painting schedule: for example, exterior coatings might be touched up every few years and fully repainted every decade, depending on the environment, to continuously renew the protection
• For interiors, many tank owners plan to recoat the tank every X years (perhaps every 10–20 years for water tanks) and budget for it, rather than waiting for a failure
• Use higher-grade coatings initially as they can pay off – coatings that cost more up front may last significantly longer in harsh conditions (e.g. fluoropolymer topcoats for UV, or thicker high-build epoxies for immersion)
• Monitor advances in coating technology, as new formulations (like upgraded epoxies, polysiloxanes, etc.) might offer better longevity or solve previous weaknesses
• Be somewhat cautious about trying brand-new products without track record (to avoid the situation of an “unproven” product that underperforms), but keep an eye on industry improvements that can lead to adopting coatings that extend maintenance intervals and reduce life-cycle costs
• Maximize coating performance and longevity by getting it right from the start (proper application and suitable materials) and diligently maintaining the coating over time so that the tank’s protection never lapses

Challenge 3: Regulatory & Compliance Issues

The tank coating industry is heavily influenced by regulations and standards intended to ensure safety, environmental protection, and quality. Ground storage tank fabricators must navigate a complex landscape of industry standards (like API, AWWA, NSF/ANSI) and government regulations (environmental and worker safety rules). Meeting these standards and regulations is a significant challenge because they are often stringent, evolving, and can require specialized materials or procedures. Non-compliance can result in legal penalties, project delays, or loss of business, so companies must pay close attention to this aspect. 

Below are the main regulatory and compliance issues related to tank painting and linings:

Industry Standards (API 653, AWWA D102, etc.)

There are established standards that define how tanks should be built, maintained, and coated. For example, API 653 (from the American Petroleum Institute) covers the inspection and repair of petroleum above-ground storage tanks. It doesn’t prescribe specific coatings, but it requires regular inspections and maintenance to ensure tank integrity, which implicitly means the coating must be kept in good condition to control corrosion. 

If a tank’s lining fails and corrosion reduces the wall thickness below allowed limits, the tank is out of compliance until repaired. Similarly, AWWA D102 is the American Water Works Association standard for coating steel water-storage tanks. It provides minimum requirements for surface preparation, coating systems (both interior and exterior), and application methods for potable water tanks. NSF/ANSI 61 is another critical standard for water tanks – it certifies that a coating is safe for drinking water contact (no harmful leaching). 

Challenges: Complying with these standards means companies must stay up-to-date and often tailor their processes to meet detailed criteria. AWWA D102, for instance, categorizes various Outside Coating Systems (OCS) and Inside Coating Systems (ICS) with specific paint types and thicknesses for each. Meeting it involves careful selection of approved coating systems and following strict quality control measures. 

It’s noted that meeting AWWA D102 is not straightforward; it requires a deep understanding of coating systems, surface prep needs, and environmental factors. Companies must invest time to train staff on the latest standard revisions and ensure every step (from abrasive blasting to final cure) aligns with the standard. 

Impact: The impact of these standards is generally positive – they improve quality – but the challenge comes in the cost and effort to comply. Smaller fabricators might struggle to implement all the required steps or may lack familiarity with the standards, risking non-compliance. 

If a project specification calls for AWWA D102 or an NSF-61 certified lining and the contractor does not follow it (or uses a non-certified product), the finished tank may be rejected by inspectors or regulators. This can mean rework at the contractor’s expense and damage to reputation. In oil/gas tanks, failing to adhere to API 653 maintenance can lead to fines or forced shutdowns by regulatory bodies (since API 653 is often tied to environmental rules for spill prevention). 

Solutions: 

• Tank builders and coaters should have experts (or consultants) on staff who thoroughly know relevant standards
• Ensure all coating products are approved for the intended service (e.g. NSF-61 certified for drinking water, or meeting any client-specific standard) and maintain an updated list of approved coatings and their use cases
• Develop internal quality manuals or checklists mapped to standards like AWWA D102, so that at each stage workers can verify compliance (e.g. confirming surface profile meets the standard, coating thickness is as specified, holiday testing is done, etc.)
• Keep records of surface cleanliness tests, dry film thickness measurements, and cure times to demonstrate compliance, as many standards require or recommend documentation
• Hire inspectors or supervisors with industry certifications (AMPP/NACE Level 1/2/3 coating inspectors) who understand the standards and can ensure they’re followed on the job
• Treat standards as minimum requirements and build them into the project plan from the start, rather than as an afterthought

Changing Regulations and Certification Requirements

Regulatory requirements are not static; they evolve with new health, safety, and environmental knowledge. A current example in the tank lining world is the change in potable water coating regulations. NSF/ANSI/CAN 600, an update to the NSF standards, drastically reduces the allowable levels of certain solvents (like xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene) that can leach from coatings into water. Effective January 2023, most traditional solvent-borne epoxy and urethane linings will no longer pass the extraction criteria, which means many commonly used tank linings for drinking water are being phased out. 

This kind of change presents a big compliance challenge for companies: they must switch to new 100% solids or high-solids coating formulations to meet the standard. These new materials (like 100% solid epoxies, polyurethane) are effective but often require different application techniques – for instance, shorter pot lives and specialized plural-component spray equipment for proper application. 

Challenges: Adjusting to new regulations can require retraining crews, investing in new equipment, and possibly changing project timelines. In the NSF 600 example, applicators who were comfortable with solvented coatings that had a few hours of pot life now must handle materials that set in 30–45 minutes, which “represents a challenge for applicators” due to the need for speed and organization. They may need to rent or buy plural-component pumps capable of very high pressures to spray these viscous, quick-setting coatings. 

On top of equipment issues, engineers/specifiers have to update their specifications to only call for compliant coatings, which might limit choices and could be more expensive. Outside of water tanks, similar regulatory shifts happen for environmental reasons – e.g. many regions have lowered the allowed VOC (volatile organic compound) content in coatings, forcing a move to low-VOC or water-based paints. For instance, some states have cut the VOC limit for industrial maintenance coatings from 450 g/L down to 250 g/L (as per AMPP). If a fabricator doesn’t pay attention and uses a higher-VOC paint in a strict air quality district, they could face fines (exceeding VOC limits can lead to penalties). 

Impact: The impact of changing regulations can be significant. Companies that fail to comply with new rules risk legal and financial consequences – in the potable water case, using a non-compliant lining could mean the tank never gets certified for use (essentially a wasted project, plus liability for delivering an unsafe product). 

Adapting also often means a learning curve; early projects with new materials might see lower productivity or more mistakes until the crews gain experience, which can squeeze profit margins or schedules. There’s also an R&D impact on coating manufacturers, but for applicators the main impact is needing to adopt whatever new products emerge and mastering them quickly. 

Solutions: 

• Keep informed through industry associations (like AMPP, AWWA, API) about upcoming changes and start training and equipping your team before new standards become mandatory (such as NSF 600)
• Take advantage of training offered by coating suppliers on how to use their 100% solids or waterborne products to ease the transition
• Invest in or partner for new equipment – if plural-component spray rigs are needed but too expensive to buy outright, look at rental options or subcontractors who specialize in those applications
• Communicate with clients and specifiers to help them understand the implications of new regulations and offer value-engineered solutions (for instance, if a certain high-solids system is needed to meet VOC laws, explain the benefits and costs)
• Embrace a culture of continuous improvement and flexibility to help meet changing compliance demands
• View each new standard (whether environmental, health, or safety related) as an opportunity to improve processes and not leave it until the last minute

Environmental and Safety Regulations

Painting and lining operations must also comply with general environmental and occupational safety laws. Environmental regulations affect how coatings are applied and how waste is handled. Overspray, solvent emissions, and blasting debris can all be pollutants if not controlled. As mentioned, VOC regulations may restrict the use of high-solvent paints, especially in certain regions or indoors. 

Waste management is a big issue: when old tank coatings (often containing lead or other hazardous substances) are removed by blasting, the spent abrasive and paint chips are considered hazardous waste. Contractors must capture and dispose of this waste according to EPA and local guidelines. In fact, performing open-air blasting on a tank with lead paint poses a serious pollution hazard – abrasive and lead paint dust can be scattered widely, leaving the tank owner and contractor liable for environmental contamination.

Regulations require methods to minimize this, such as full containment tarps and negative air systems, or using specialized vacuum blasting equipment that captures dust and debris at the source to prevent release to the environment. Safety regulations (OSHA in the U.S.) are equally critical. Workers applying coatings (especially by spray) are exposed to chemical hazards (solvent vapors, isocyanates, etc.) and physical hazards (confined space, working at heights). OSHA standards mandate proper ventilation and personal protective equipment – for example, when spray painting inside tanks or enclosed spaces, workers must use supplied-air respirators to avoid inhaling concentrated fumes. 

Confined space entry rules require monitoring air quality (for sufficient oxygen and no toxic vapor buildup) and having rescue plans. There are also rules for fire safety since paint solvents are flammable – no ignition sources, use of explosion-proof lighting and ventilation, etc. 

Challenges: Complying with these environmental and safety requirements often means additional planning and cost. Containment systems for blasting and painting can be expensive and time-consuming to install (tanks might be shrouded in giant tarps with negative air machines to filter out paint dust). Proper disposal of hazardous waste is costly. 

From a safety standpoint, ensuring all painters are trained in confined space procedures and wear the right PPE can be a logistical challenge – it only takes one lapse for an accident or a violation to occur. Yet, non-compliance is not an option: environmental violations can result in hefty fines or work stoppages, and safety violations can lead to injuries or legal liability. 

Impact: In the short term, these regulations increase the complexity of tank coating projects. However, the impact of not following them is far worse – for instance, a lead-paint removal job without containment could contaminate the surrounding area, leading to environmental cleanup costs and possibly legal action. An OSHA violation for unsafe painting practices can shut down a job site until corrected, causing delays. In the long run, though, these regulations improve industry reliability and worker well-being, which is critical for sustainability. 

Solutions: 

• Integrate environmental and safety compliance into every project plan from the start
• Before starting work, identify any hazardous old coatings (test for lead, etc.) and develop a containment and disposal plan that meets all regulations
• Use certified hazardous material abatement contractors if needed for lead or asbestos in old coatings
• Ensure all coating products used are compliant with local VOC rules – many paint manufacturers produce low-VOC versions; use those where required
• Maintain rigorous training for all personnel (respiratory protection training, confined space certification, fall protection for exterior work at heights, etc.)
• Equip the crew with the proper gear: ventilators, gas detectors, harnesses, and fire prevention tools as needed
• Have a safety officer or an industrial hygienist periodically check that all OSHA requirements are being met during the project
• Many companies pursue ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 45001 (safety management) certifications or similar to institutionalize good practices
• Treat compliance as an integral part of the job (rather than a burden) to avoid incidents and run projects more smoothly

In Summary

Painting and lining ground storage tanks is fraught with challenges, but each challenge can be managed with the right knowledge and practices. Application process issues are mitigated by strict adherence to preparation and application standards, skilled workforce, and environmental controls. 

Performance and longevity issues are addressed by choosing the right coating systems and maintaining them proactively through inspections and upkeep. Regulatory compliance issues, while complex, can be navigated by staying informed, investing in proper training/equipment, and embedding compliance into the project workflow. 

By tackling these three areas diligently, tank fabrication companies can significantly improve coating outcomes – resulting in safer, longer-lasting storage tanks that meet all requirements.