Nationwide emergency response
We are Ireland's leading experts in oil spill clean up
Verdé are Ireland's largest oil spill clean up company, having responded to over 6,000 contamination incidents nationwide. Our experience includes all types of fuel spills in domestic, commercial and large-scale response situations, dealing with impacts to air, buildings, land, rivers, groundwater and harbours.
Or email info@verde.ie for non-urgent enquiries. Depots in Wicklow, Castlebar and Cork.
What to do — and what not to do — right now
The first thirty minutes decide how big, how expensive and how messy the clean-up becomes. Only do any of this if it is safe to approach.
Do
Turn off the oil supply at the tank
Close the valve on the tank outlet and stop using the boiler, cooker or pump.
Plug a small split temporarily
A bar of ordinary soap rubbed hard into a hairline split in a plastic tank will slow or stop a weep until we arrive. It is a stop-gap, not a repair.
Soak up and contain what has escaped
Cat litter, dry sand or earth banked around the spill will absorb oil and stop it spreading. Bag used litter and leave it for our crew — do not put it in the household bin.
Block the route to drains
Bank absorbent or soil across gullies, channels and driveways so oil cannot reach a drain, stream or river.
Keep people and pets clear, and ventilate
Open windows if fumes are indoors, keep naked flames away and do not smoke near the spill.
Photograph everything before you touch it
The tank, the pooling, the spread and any staining. Photos help both the clean-up and your insurance claim.
Tell your insurer and call us
Most home policies cover oil escape. Call 0818 714 002 — we deal with insurers and loss adjusters directly every day.
Don't
Don't hose it away
Water does not remove oil — it carries it deeper into soil and straight into drains and watercourses, which turns a contained spill into a pollution incident.
Don't use detergent or washing-up liquid
It emulsifies the oil so it travels further and is far harder to recover, and it makes laboratory validation of the clean-up messier.
Don't dig up or move contaminated soil yourself
Contaminated soil is a regulated waste. Moving it without classification can create a liability and complicate your claim.
Don't pour anything down a drain or gully
Including absorbent run-off. If oil has already entered a drain, tell us on the call — that changes how fast we mobilise.
Don't run the boiler to 'use up' the oil
If the leak is on the feed line or tank, running the system keeps the oil moving and the loss growing.
Don't wait to see if it gets worse
Kerosene migrates through soil and blockwork quickly. Early containment is the single biggest cost saving in any spill.
Not sure whether what you are looking at is a spill? Describe it and our 24/7 assistant will tell you what to do next.
Check my situationWatch: what to do, in under half a minute
Short, silent explainers you can follow on a phone at the tank. Every step is captioned on screen, so they work with the sound off.
Found oil? What to do in the first hour
A 24-second walkthrough of the five things to do — and the five things not to do — between finding a heating oil spill and the crew arriving.
How a Verdé clean-up works, call to sign-off
From the first call to the duty engineer through containment, remediation and validation, with the evidence pack your insurer needs.
These are Verdé animations, not site footage. Filmed clips of live clean-ups can be swapped in here as soon as they are available.
Who we clean up for
Homeowners
Kerosene or heating oil escaping from a domestic tank, into the garden, under the floor or into a drain.
Get help nowBusinesses & industry
Forecourts, hauliers, plant, generators, marine and utilities — spill response, containment and site remediation.
See full servicesInsurers & loss adjusters
Independent assessment, remediation strategy, cost control and validation reporting for oil escape claims.
Insurance servicesWhat an oil spill clean-up involves
1 — Containment
Booms, absorbents and interception across surface water, drainage and ground pathways to stop the spread.
2 — Recovery
Vacuum recovery of free product, segregation of contaminated material and licensed off-site disposal with full waste tracking.
3 — Remediation
Soil and groundwater remediation — excavation, ex-situ treatment or in-situ programmes, sized to the contamination found.
4 — Validation & sign-off
Verification sampling, reporting and liaison with the local authority, EPA, Irish Water and your insurer.
Report a spill
For a live incident, calling is always fastest — 0818 714 002. If you would rather send the details, this reaches the duty team directly.
info@verde.ie
Oil spill questions, answered
What should I do first if I find heating oil leaking at my house?
Stop the source if it is safe to do so — close the tank valve and stop using the boiler. Do not hose the oil away or put it down a drain. Keep people and pets clear, ventilate the area, avoid naked flames, and call the 24/7 line on 0818 714 002 so a crew can be mobilised.
How quickly can Verdé get to a spill?
Crews mobilise from the nearest of our depots — Wicklow (head office), Castlebar, Co. Mayo and Cork — and we cover the whole of Ireland. Response time depends on your location and the scale of the incident; the duty engineer will confirm a mobilisation time on the call.
Will my home insurance cover an oil spill clean-up?
Many Irish home and commercial policies include cover for oil escape, though limits and conditions vary. We work directly with insurers and loss adjusters and provide the site evidence, photographs, validation data and waste documentation a claim needs. Notify your insurer as early as you can.
Do you handle the clean-up and the remediation, or just the emergency call-out?
Both. Verdé contains and recovers the spill, then carries out the soil and groundwater remediation and validation through to sign-off, so you are not left co-ordinating several contractors.
Who do I have to notify about an oil spill?
Depending on scale and pathway, your local authority environment section, the EPA and Irish Water may need to be informed, along with your insurer. Verdé liaises with the regulators on your behalf and keeps the evidence pack for you.
What happens to contaminated soil and waste?
Contaminated material is segregated, transported under licence and taken to permitted facilities, with full waste tracking documentation issued to you for the file.
Still dealing with a live spill?
Call 0818 714 002