40 CFR §280.36(a)(1) · Every 30 days
The 30-Day Walkthrough Inspection (40 CFR §280.36)
Since October 13, 2018, UST owners and operators have been required to conduct routine operation-and-maintenance walkthrough inspections: spill prevention and release-detection equipment every 30 days, and containment sumps and hand-held release-detection equipment annually. It is the most frequent recurring obligation in Part 280 — and the one most often found incomplete at inspection.
What must be checked every 30 days
For spill prevention equipment: visually check for damage; remove liquid or debris from the catchment basin; check for and remove obstructions in the fill pipe; check that the fill cap is securely on the fill pipe; and, for double-walled spill buckets with interstitial monitoring, check for a leak in the interstitial area. For release-detection equipment: check that the equipment is operating with no alarms or other unusual conditions present, and ensure records of release-detection testing are reviewed and current. One scheduling exception: facilities that receive deliveries at intervals greater than every 30 days may check spill prevention equipment prior to each delivery instead.
What must be checked annually
Containment sumps: visually check for damage, leaks to the containment area, or releases to the environment; remove liquid or debris; and, for double-walled sumps with interstitial monitoring, check for a leak in the interstitial area. Hand-held release-detection equipment (such as tank gauge sticks and groundwater bailers): check for operability and serviceability.
The records the regulation requires
Under §280.36(b), walkthrough records must be maintained for one year and must identify each area checked, whether each area was acceptable or needed action taken, a description of any actions taken to correct an issue — and, for facilities on the per-delivery alternative, the delivery records that show the checks were delivery-aligned. A checklist that only says “done” does not contain the required content.
Citations
- 40 CFR §280.36(a)(1)
Citations verified against 40 CFR Part 280 primary-source text, June 2026. Regulations are amended — always confirm against the current eCFR and your state program before acting.