|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

Waste Oil Recycling Information

Recycling waste oil--or used oil--is extremely beneficial to the environment and the economy. Improperly disposed waste oil harms water sources, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API). Recycling oil also conserves natural resources and saves energy output. "Recycling used oil is becoming the preferred way of handling used oil," reports the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  1. Recycling Waste Oil

    • Waste oil recycling involves machines called processors and refiners. These machines strain out the impurities--water, insoluble matters, dirt, heavy metals, nitrogen, chlorine and oxygenated compounds--from oil drained from vehicles and other machines, states the EPA. This oil must meet the same stringent requirements and performance standards as the oil produced from raw crude oils.

    Conservation of Crude Oil Resources

    • The most important reason for recycling oil is the conservation of crude oil resources. The EPA reports that 2.5 quarts of high-quality lubricating oil is produced from just one gallon of waste oil. Conversely, it takes a whopping 42 gallons of crude oil to manufacture the same 2.5 quarts of high-quality oil. Waste oil recycling results in an extreme conservation of crude oil resources in American society.

    Benefits of Recycling Oil

    • Waste oil recycling also has several benefits. Recycled oil does not end up polluting oil and source waters, as recycled oil does not end up in landfills. The cost of oil re-refining is far less than oil refining. Used oil recycling facilities employ many Americans and keep waste oil in constant circulation. Oil does not wear out, according to the EPA. Because of this, simply throwing oil away is extremely wasteful since it can be cleaned and reused.

    Improper Oil Disposal Harms the Environment

    • The improper disposal of waste oil through dumping or illegally placing it in a landfill is harmful to soil and groundwater sources. Oil can leach into soil, pollute it and stop any growth from occurring. Oil in soil can also taint groundwater and drinking source waters with harmful petroleum products and cause petroleum poisoning.

    Energy Savings

    • The energy saved in producing fresh oil from used waste oil is astronomical. Cleaning one gallon of waste oil uses far fewer resources than refining 42 gallons of crude oil. According to API, recycling just two gallons of waste oil saves enough energy to power the electrical systems of the average household for nearly 24 hours.

Environmental Health - Related Articles