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The Effects of Motor Oil on the Environment

According to a study published in the journal of Environment Science and Techonology in 2004, the United States generates as much as one billion gallons of used oil a year. The majority of this oil consists of motor oils, transmission oils and hydraulic fluids used within the automotive and manufacturing industries. Used motor oil in particular contains toxic materials that pose a genuine threat to human health and the health of the environment.

  1. Groundwater Contamination

    • Individuals who opt to change their own car oil are left with a basin of used motor oil that requires disposal. Improper disposal methods include dumping into garbage cans and onto the ground, and pouring it down storm drains and sewers as well as sinks and commodes. Each one of these disposal routes sends used oil into the local groundwater system or waste treatment plants, according to Castrol. Groundwater contamination results when oil absorbs through soil layers and makes its way into lakes, streams, and rivers. These freshwater areas take on poisonous materials that harm fish and surrounding wildlife. Materials that end up at waste treatment facilities require expensive cleanup processes that ultimately increase the cost for these services.

    Soil Effects

    • A research study conducted in 2009 by Karachi University in Pakistan examined the effects of used oil within soil environments. Samples of soil were collected from 15 sites and analyzed to determine their chemical properties. Researchers found different concentrations of metal materials that consisted of arsenic, lead, cadmium, zinc, barium and chromium, all of which are toxic materials. The soil samples also contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are highly toxic cancer-causing agents. PAHs result from the effects of combustion on used oil within the workings of a motor. In effect, PAHs pose a significant threat to soil ecosystem balances and environmental health overall.

    Heavy-Metal Emissions

    • Within the United States, used motor oil is often resold as a less expensive fuel material as a way to reduce the amounts left over for disposal, according to the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. Used motor oil contains heavy metal materials made up of tiny fragments from engine parts. It also contains antifreeze and gasoline that result from the combustion process, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. In effect, fuels derived from used motor oil produce heavy metal emissions due to the high temperatures and pressures that take place inside an engine. Heavy metal emissions contain potentially dangerous levels of zinc, copper, lead and cadmium. According to a research study performed by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control in 2004, emissions amounted to 6.5 metric tons for copper and lead, and 136 metric tons for zinc, in terms of total mass amounts. These amounts also represent national emission totals from used motor oil materials.

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