Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1399684
50 | July - August 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com The Dos and Don'ts X of Used Oil First and foremost, I want to make something clear: USED oil and WASTE oil are not the same. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), used oil is defined as any oil, either synthetic or refined from crude oil, that has been used and, as a result of such use, is contami- nated by physical or chemical impurities. Waste oil, on the other hand, is any oil that has been mixed with a known hazardous substance such as glycol (antifreeze) or kerosene. Animal and vegetable oils are excluded from the EPA's definition of used oil, but they are considered waste oil when they are utilized as a lubricant. is article will focus on used oil, with the objective being to educate lubrication and reliability personnel about what to do (and what not to do) with it. Establishing proper procedures in this department is crucial to upholding environ- mental integrity and a safe work environment. Recycle and Conserve When it comes to a precious resource like oil, we need to make every effort to recycle whenever possible. ere are several efficient ways to turn used oil into usable oil again; for example, some oils can be cleaned and re-used through filtering or reconditioning. Utilizing a dedicated filter cart is a great way to recondition a used oil to prolong its life and save costs along the way. ere is also the practice of re-refining used oil to use as a base stock for new lubricating oils. In some instances, used oil can be repurposed. A common example is recycling oil to be used for gasoline and coke production through a petroleum refinery. Recycled oil is also used for energy recovery: water and particulates are removed, and the remaining oil is burned as a fuel source for energy production. Although this is an efficient way to repurpose used oil, it is not always preferred because you're only getting one re-use out of the oil. Once it is burned, it's gone. Storage and Handling of Used Oil I prefaced this article by differentiating between waste oil and used oil because we often see used oil being wasted when it isn't necessary. I'm not saying we've seen people dumping out oil, but not knowing the difference Paul Farless | Noria Corporation ENERGY CONSERVATION, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT Factor: E2P Learn More: noria.com/ascend/ Factor: E2P – Storage & Disposal of Used Oil & Materials Level: Platform (P) Stage: Energy Conservation, Health & Environment About: Used oil, lubricants and other contaminated materials should be stored in accordance with laws and regula- tions while incorporating Reuse, Reduce and Recycle methodology to minimize environmental impact. More about this ASCEND ™ Factor