Oil Recycling Basics

Understand oil recycling basics to protect wildlife and the environment

Oil recycling at your business is imperative as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that approximately 200 million gallons of used oil are improperly disposed of each year, contaminating waterways and endangering wildlife. Recycling oil is easy, however, and allows for the preservation of not only the environment but natural resources as well. Recycled oil can be used as raw materials for the refining and petrochemical industries, rerefined into lubricants and processed into fuel oils.

The oil recycling process involves the use of oil recycling equipment such as processors and refiners that remove water, insolubles, dirt, heavy metals, nitrogen, chlorine and oxygenated compounds from used oil. The finished product is called rerefined oil and must meet the same standards as virgin oil. Consider the following waste oil recycling benefits before contacting oil recyclers:

1. Used oil sent to recycling will not contaminate soil and water.

2. Resources are saved by using oil recycling technology instead of starting over with a virgin product.

3. Less energy is used producing rerefined oil than producing virgin crude oil.

 

Learn how rerefined oil produced from waste oil recycling is used in the workplace

Using recycled oil is almost the same as using virgin oil, as the refined product is simply reconditioned oil. This means businesses that use regular oil will see no difference in the performance of rerefined oil. Laboratory testing and field studies have been conducted to ensure that rerefined oil is equivalent to and in some cases outperforms virgin oil.
Try: Gain a better understanding of how used oil recycling pertains to small businesses by learning more with information provided by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). You may also be interested in a case study about a county that has been using rerefined oil since 1992. Check the King County, WA, site for more information.

Find an oil recycling plant in your area to recycle oil and used oil filters

Make waste oil recycling as easy as possible by finding oil recycling companies in your area that fit your business needs. Recycling used oil filters is just as critical to the environment as recycling scrap oil, so find a facility in your area that handles these filters to ensure your business diverts waste from landfills. With oil recycling fast becoming the preferred way of handling waste oil, you will have no problem finding an oil recycling business in your community online.
Try: To find a recycling center in your area check out the Used Filter Hotline at the Filter Manufacturers Council to search by location. The FMC also provides businesses with information about how to choose the appropriate filter management service. You should also take a look at the American Petroleum Institute site, where you can learn about how your business can partner with the organization, an oil recycling company, to enhance your sustainability efforts and recycle used oil.

Understand how to collect and prepare used oil for the oil recycling process

Recycling used oil is easy, although you must be careful when handling and preparing waste oil for the recycling process. Before taking waste oil to a nearby plant be cautious not to spill or mix waste oil with other products as it may harshly affect surroundings as well as the refinement process. Don't hesitate to check out guidelines online to ensure successful oil recycling.
Try: Make sure you are collecting waste oil properly by checking out the tips at Earth911.com. For in-depth knowledge about industrial oil recycling, take a look at the featured article in Machinery Lubrication Magazine entitled, "Managing Industrial Oil."

 

• Always store used oil in a clean plastic container. Containers that have been used for chemicals or food are not appropriate and can affect the oil recycling process.

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