Training and Safety Tip: No sump-dumping
Be the example, not the exception
Most of us have done it or have watched another pilot do it: It's high time we retrain our brains for how to handle the fuel we drain before flight.
We move wing to wing during preflight with our fuel tester sampling the fuel from the aircraft’s lowest points. We hold the tester at eye level to check for sediment and water, and then, without much thought, we dump the fuel on the ramp or in the grass.
When 100LL becomes hazardous waste when not burned in an engine or contained in a fuel tank its lead additive is corrosive to ramp surfaces and carcinogenic to humans. The genesis of current restrictions arose from powerhouse legislation—the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and subsequent amendments—that alludes to leaded fuel’s negative environmental impact, which is why it was phased out of automotive use in the 1990s.
Although no federal laws address dumping sumped fuel, look for specific restrictions and consequences in the codes of conduct for your state, local municipality, and airport. Before you fly, check with your destination airport about fuel collection sites; you may need to bring your own container. Florida, for instance, takes environmental concerns seriously: A violation of the state’s hazardous waste laws can draw a fine of up to $50,000 per day.
Better practices
Don’t rush to sump after refueling; let contaminants settle. Depending on the size of your aircraft’s fuel tanks, a minimum of 15 minutes may pass before any particulates sink.
Additionally, the popular gasoline analysis test separator, or GATS jar, regularly receives two thumbs up for efficiently filtering debris. Still, reviews are mixed over whether the fuel sample is purified from water contamination when pouring it back into the tanks. To address this concern, pre-coat the GATS screen with fuel. It creates a barrier against water droplets passing through the fine mesh screen. You can then safely reuse the fuel.
The FAA’s All About Fuel document reminds pilots to dispose of fuel in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Dumping sumped fuel into the air, on the ramp, or in the grass is never an option. If your tester is not filtered and your fuel sample contains sediment or water droplets, sump the tank until the sample is clear of particulates and deposit the contaminated fuel into a community vat. If there isn’t one at your airfield ask the airport manager to provide one.
