Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/520842
54 | May- June 2015 | www.machinerylubrication.com BACK PAGE BASICS L OREN GREEN | NORI A CORPOR AT ION " L u b r i c a n t S t o r a g e a n d H a n d l i n g roper handling techniques do not end when oil has been put into service. Once the life of the oil has been exceeded, you must ensure the lubricant is captured and disposed of both safely and in an environ- mentally friendly way. To achieve this goal, it is essential to employ best practices for used oil management. Waste Oil vs. Used Oil Many people use the terms "waste oil" and "used oil" interchangeably. While both labels may identify the same fl uid, from a regulatory standpoint there is a signifi cant difference. Used oil is defi ned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as follows: "Used oil is any oil that has been ref ined from crude oil or any synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities." This does not include vegetable or animal-based oils, but any petroleum or synthetic-based oil that has been used previously. In contrast, waste oil has been contaminated and is deemed not usable. For example, if the cap on a new oil drum had been leaking and water had gotten into the drum, this product would be deemed to be unusable and as such would be waste oil. Due to some of the additive chemistries, it is entirely possible that this mixture of fi nished lubricant and water would exceed the chemical limits and need to be classifi ed as waste oil. Oils that are off-specifi cation typically contain arsenic (5 ppm), cadmium (2 ppm), chromium (10 ppm) and lead (100 ppm), as well as have a minimum fl ash point of 100 degrees F and total halogens of more than 4,000 ppm. This would qualify the mixture as hazardous waste. Hazardous materials are defi ned in various ways under a number of regulatory programs, including the Occu- pational Safety and Health Administration BEST PRACTICES for Waste OIL MANAGEMENT P " In most cases, the 'waste oil' in a plant is in fact used oil and is not subject to the special handling that is required of true waste oil. 71% of lubrication professionals say their plant has procedures to dispose of used lubricants in an environmentally friendly way, based on a recent survey at MachineryLubrication.com