Thousands of underground diesel storage tanks may need to be replaced in the coming years because bacteria present in biodiesel are boosting corrosion, the Volkskrant has reported.

The paper bases its claim on a preliminary report by SIKB, which monitors ground pollution in relation to infrastructure.

It has been compulsory to add biodiesel – fuel produced using plant or animal fats – to traditional diesel since 2007 and since then there has been an increase in corrosion reported in uncoated steel tanks, the institute says in a new report.

The decision to remove sulphur from diesel, which slowed down bacterial growth, has had an additional impact.

Although the SIKB research focused on underground tanks without protective coatings, there are also strong indications that other sorts of tanks are also affected, the report said.

The transport ministry said in a reaction it would wait for a definitive report before deciding what action to take.