To prevent oil from being dumped on the ground or poured down drains and polluting soil, surface and groundwater, state and federal laws require proper disposal of used oil. In most cases, that means recycling it.
But staying legal isn’t the only reason for restoring life to old oil. Conserving this non-renewable resource reduces dependence on imported oil. In fact, producing 2.5 quarts of new, high-quality lube oil requires 42 gallons of crude, but just one gallon of used oil. Recycling oil reduces waste, saves natural resources, and helps create jobs, too.
Oil recycling may even put some money in your pocket. Safety-Kleen, the largest oil re-refiner in the United States, collects and processes 200 million gallons of used oil a year. Customers range from small construction contractors and owners of equipment fleets to national auto supply retailers and quick-lube shops.
“In many of our markets, we’re paying customers to collect their used oil,” says Sean Spaziani, marketing director of Safety-Kleen’s commercial segment. “With oil recycling, you get peace of mind knowing you are doing your part to help preserve a precious natural resource.”
Other items needed to keep your construction equipment operating, including oil filters, anti-freeze and batteries, can also be recycled. Here are some ways in which recycling can help reduce your impact on the environment.
Closing the oil loop
Lube oil does not wear out with use — it just gets dirty. Used oil drained from a crankcase, hydraulic reservoir or other lubricated component can be re-refined into lubricants, processed into fuels, and used as raw material for the refining and petrochemical industries, closing the recycling loop.
Processors and re-refiners, like Safety-Kleen, remove water, dirt, heavy metals, nitrogen, chlorine, and oxygenated compounds from the used oil. The process is similar to the way in which crude oil is processed, but it uses one third less energy. The recycled oil is then combined with a fresh additive package.
The resulting product must meet the same strict refining, compounding and product specifications as lube oil produced from virgin crude oil for use in automotive, heavy-duty diesel, and other engines, and in hydraulic fluids and gear oil.
Extensive testing has found that the quality of API-certified re-refined oil equals or exceeds that of oil made from virgin stock. API-licensed re-refined oils must pass the same cold start, pumpability, rust corrosion, engine wear and high-temperature viscosity tests as lubricating oil produced from virgin crude.
If you chose to recycle used oil yourself, waste management experts say you should store the oil in an empty steel or plastic container — but not one that was used previously to store chemicals — and take it to a local service station, retail outlet or special waste recycling center that accepts used oil.
Reclaiming filters
Recycling used oil filters helps reduce the load on landfills while providing a source of steel for new cans, cars, appliances, and construction materials. Some states have banned used oil filters from landfills. Others restrict how they can be discarded.
Specific requirements for your state, a list of companies that collect used filters, and locations of recycling centers are available by calling the Filter Manufacturers Council Used Filter Recycling Hotline at 800/993-4583. Infor-mation is also available online at www.filtercouncil.org
Before discarding or recycling oil filters, the U.S. EPA requires draining them of all free-flowing oil. Most states follow this requirement. Jeremy Denton, executive director of the Filter Manufacturers Council, recommends puncturing the dome of the filter or the rubber anti-drain back valve inside the other end of the filter using a screwdriver or other suitable tool.
This breaks the vacuum that otherwise keeps oil from draining back into the engine when it is not running. Then, turn the filter upside down in a drip pan or other collection container and let it drain for at least 12 hours at about 60 degrees F.
Re-using antifreeze
Although there are no federal requirements for disposing of used antifreeze, most states regulate its disposal. Ethylene glycol, the most common antifreeze material, is toxic to humans and animals. Propylene glycol, also used to make some antifreeze, is much less toxic. However, once antifreeze has been used it may contain metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium, and that makes it a hazardous waste subject to regulation.
Processors recycle antifreeze by removing contaminants like emulsified oil and heavy metals and restoring critical properties, such as pH, rust and corrosion resistance, with additives. Recycled antifreeze is less expensive than new. Also, recycling saves ethylene glycol, which is produced from natural gas, a non-renewable resource.
You can recycle used antifreeze using a recycling service, such as Safety-Kleen, or by taking it to a local collection center. Waste management authorities warn against pouring antifreeze into sewers, on the ground, into floor drains, or mixing used antifreeze with any other waste. Also, do not collect antifreeze in containers that have been used to hold other substances, such as gasoline, unless the containers have been thoroughly cleaned. Antifreeze can leach substances from the walls of a container.
Recycling batteries
The lead in lead-acid batteries used in construction equipment, trucks and cars can contaminate the environment. As a result most states require retailers that sell lead-acid batteries to collect them for recycling.
When recycled, the batteries are crushed into small pieces and the plastic and lead components are separated. The purified lead is used to manufacture new batteries, while the plastic is reprocessed and made into new plastic products. A typical lead-acid battery contains 60 to 80 percent recycled lead and plastic.
Rebuilding parts
Replacing worn or broken parts and components, including engines, axles, transmissions, hydraulic pumps and valves, with re-manufactured ones can also benefit the environment.
“This helps reduce consumption of basic raw materials, and many remanufactured components can also be recycled, depending on scrap prices,” says Rick Hall, vice president of product management for Case Construction Equipment. “Re-manufactured parts that meet OEM specifications provide the same performance as originals and usually offer about 80 percent to 90 percent of the useful life of the original part.”
Greg Northcutt is a freelance writer based in Port Orchard, Wash. He can be reached by e-mailing this publication at editor@onsiteinstaller.com.
