The Ultimate Guide to Bunds: Ensuring Safe Chemical and Oil Storage in the UK

Whether you are running a bustling manufacturing facility, managing a commercial farm, or overseeing a logistics fleet, safely storing bulk liquids is a top priority. In the UK, failing to properly contain hazardous liquids isn’t just a safety risk—it’s a massive legal liability. This is where bunds come into play.

But what exactly are bunds, who needs them, and how do they keep your business compliant with UK environmental regulations? In this guide, we will explore everything you need to know about secondary containment and why investing in high-quality bunds from Cowens is a smart move for your operations.

What Are Bunds?

In industrial terms, bunds are secondary containment systems designed to catch leaks, drips, and catastrophic spills from primary storage containers like 205-litre drums or Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs). Think of a bund as an insurance policy for your liquid assets; if the primary tank fractures or a valve fails, the bund collects the liquid before it can spread across the floor or seep into the local watercourse.

Who Needs Bunds? (Key Target Markets)

Any commercial sector that stores, handles, or transports potentially hazardous liquids—including oils, solvents, liquid fertilisers, and cleaning chemicals—requires bunds. Here are the primary industries that rely on them every day:

1. Agriculture and Farming

Farms handle large volumes of liquid fertilisers, pesticides, and red diesel. Portable IBC bunds are crucial in the agricultural sector. If a tractor punctures a chemical container during transit, or a storage tank leaks in a barn, the bund contains the toxic chemicals, preventing severe soil contamination and protecting local streams.

2. Manufacturing and Industrial Facilities

Factories rely on lubricants, solvents, and raw liquid materials. Spillages on a factory floor can cause slip hazards and halt production. Moulded PE (polyethylene) bunds are incredibly popular here because they offer broad chemical compatibility and are 100% corrosion-free. Features like compressible fronts and removable grids mean forklifts can easily load drums, and spills can be cleaned up without disrupting the entire workflow.

3. Logistics, Warehousing, and Transport

Moving bulk liquids drastically increases the risk of tipping or puncture. Logistics companies utilise portable bunded stillages to transport liquids safely by road. If a container leaks mid-transit, the secondary bund catches the fluid, saving the transport company from vehicle damage and catastrophic environmental fines.

UK Regulations: Are You Compliant?

In the UK, the use of bunds is heavily regulated by the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 (and similar laws in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). The law dictates that any secondary containment system must be able to hold 110% of the maximum capacity of the largest container or 25% of the total volume stored, whichever is greater.

Cowens’ bunds are specifically manufactured to meet these stringent capacity rules, ensuring that an environmental inspector will find your site fully compliant, protecting you from devastating fines.

Types of Bunds Available at Cowens

Not all secondary containment solutions are created equal. Depending on your storage needs, you may require different types of bunds:

• Moulded PE Bunds: Excellent for stationary storage of standard 55-gallon (205-litre) drums in corrosive environments.
• Bunded IBC Stillages: Heavy-duty, forklift-friendly steel or plastic units designed to safely hold 1000-litre IBC tanks.
• Portable Instee Tanks: Collapsible, rapid-deployment temporary bunds used by emergency spill response teams to quickly store recovered pollutants.

Conclusion

Investing in reliable, regulation-compliant bunds is not just about ticking a health and safety box—it’s about protecting your staff, your local environment, and your bottom line. Whether you are a farmer storing red diesel or a factory manager handling caustic solvents, ensuring you have the right secondary containment is essential.

Need help choosing the right containment solution? Browse our full range of regulation-compliant bunds today to keep your workplace safe and spill-free.