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Oil
Oil keeps our cars, lawnmowers, and many other machines running smoothly. But, once oil is used, it must be discarded properly, to keep it from contaminating the environment. Recycling used oil is becoming the preferred way of handling used oil to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.
Used oils such as engine lubrication oil, hydraulic fluids, and gear oils used in cars, bikes, or lawnmowers can pollute the environment if it is not disposed of properly. Used oil must be recycled or disposed of properly by local waste management authorities or automotive repair shops. Used oil filters pose similar waste concerns. If properly drained, they can be safely recycled or disposed of.
Just the Facts
- Two hundred million gallons of used oil are improperly disposed of each year.
- Recycling just 2 gallons of used oil can generate enough electricity to run the average household for almost 24 hours. (Source: American Petroleum Institute)
- It takes 42 gallons of crude oil, but only 1 gallon of used oil, to produce 2.5 quarts of new, high-quality lubricating oil.
Recycling Used Oil and Oil Filters
Benefits of Recycling Oil
- Recycling used oil keeps it from polluting soil and water.
- Motor oil does not wear out—it just gets dirty—so recycling it saves a valuable resource.
- Less energy is required to produce a gallon of rerefined base stock than a base stock from crude oil.
Used oil can be rerefined into lubricants, processed into fuel oils, and used as raw materials for the refining and petrochemical industries. Used oil filters contain reusable scrap metal, which steel producers can use as scrap feed.
To recycle used oil, processors and refiners remove water, insolubles, dirt, heavy metals, nitrogen, chlorine, and oxygenated compounds from oil drained from automobiles or other machines. The resulting product—called "rerefined" oil—must meet the same stringent refining, compounding, and performance standards as virgin oil for use in automotive, heavy-duty diesel, and other internal combustion engines, and hydraulic fluids and gear oils. Extensive laboratory testing and field studies conclude that rerefined oil is equivalent to virgin oil—it passes all prescribed tests and, in some situations, even outperforms virgin oil.
The same consumers and businesses that use regular oil also can use rerefined oil, since rerefining simply reconditions used oil into new, high-quality lubricating oil. Any vehicle maintenance facilities, automobile owners, and other machinery maintenance operations that use oil also can use rerefined oil. In some cases, fleet maintenance facilities that use large volumes of oil arrange to reuse the same oil that they send to be rerefined—a true closed recycling loop.
Recycling Oil at Home
Are you a "Do-It Yourselfer"— that is, do you change the oil in your car at home? You can still recycle your used oil. Take care not to spill when you collect the used oil, and place it in a leak-proof can or container. Check with local automobile maintenance facilities, waste collectors, and government waste officials to see when and where you can drop off your used oil for recycling. Don't forget to drain and recycled use oil filters as well—usually you can drop off the filters at the same collection centers where you deposit used oil.Case Study
King
County, Washington 
, has been using rerefined oil since
1992. Visit this Web site for information about King County's
experience with and specifications for rerefined motor oil.
Regulations
Effective March 1993, EPA promulgated a final listing decision for recycling used oils under RCRA section 3014. EPA determined that recycled used oil does not have to be listed as a hazardous waste since the used oil management standards issued in its rulemaking adequately protect human health and the environment. These standards cover used oil generators, transporters, processors and re-refiners, burners, and marketers.
Additional Resources
EPA's Office of Solid Waste, Used Oil Management Program has links to rules and regulations and other publications.
EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) Program: Rerefining Lubricating Oil includes recommended recovered materials content ranges for used oil, as well as product specifications and additional product information.
EPA's Jobs Through Recycling (JTR) Program: Oil provides recycling market development information for state and local officials, sources of technical and financial assistance for recycling businesses, and general information for visitors interested in learning more about JTR. Through the commodities pages, users can access pricing information, grant information, and other resources on oil recycling.
The American Petroleum
Institute Used Motor Oil Collection and Recycling Site
has information for car owners on how to recycle used oil,
including state information and used oil collection site.
The California
Integrated Waste Management Board Used Oil Recycling Program
develops and promotes alternatives to the illegal disposal
of used oil by establishing a statewide network of collection
opportunities and undertaking outreach efforts to inform and
motivate the public to recycle used oil.