Used Oil - How to Manage It and Dispose of Spent Oil Properly
Management of used oil, for both businesses and consumers, has been the subject of debate for many years; virtually since the enactment of the HSWA regulation in the 80's. In the past years, several final rules and clarifications has addressed the subject.
En Español
Used oil is exactly what its name implies, any petroleum-based or synthetic that has been used. During normal use, impurities such as dirt, metal scrapings, water or chemicals, can get mixed in with the oil, so that in time, the oil no longer performs well. Eventually, this used oil must be replaced with virgin or re-refined oil to do the job correctly.
Recycling your used motor oil properly is easy.
- Do not spill any oil on the ground.
- Put your used motor oil in a clean plastic container with a tight lid. Never store used oil in a container that once held chemicals, food, or beverages.
- Do not mix the oil with anything else, such as antifreeze, solvent, or paint.
- Take used motor oil to a service station or other location that collects used motor oil for recycling.
Find out more about how you can responsibly
manage used oil at home
, or
what you must do at your business
to handle used oil.
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If you are one of the many people who change their own motor oil, you too need to know how to properly dispose of the used oil to protect the environment AND to avoid committing a crime! Did you know that the used oil from one oil change can contaminate 1 million gallons of fresh water - a years' supply for 50 people!
- Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
- It’s slow to degrade.
- It sticks to everything from beach sand to bird feathers.
- It's a major source of oil contamination of waterways and can result in pollution of drinking water sources.
On average, about four million people reuse motor oil as a lubricant for other equipment or take it to a recycling facility.
- Recycled used motor oil can be re-refined into new oil, processed into fuel oils and used as raw materials for the petroleum industry.
- One gallon of used motor oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil.
Become used motor oil recycler number four million and one!
- Begin recycling your used motor oil today.
- If all the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers were recycled, it would be enough motor oil for more than 50 million cars a year. Imagine how much foreign oil that would eliminate.
- Used motor oil from cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, farm equipment and lawnmowers can be recycled and re-refined.
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As part of its ongoing effort to educate all Americans on environmental responsibility, EPA recently launched the
"You Dump It, You Drink It"
campaign, aimed at the Hispanic automotive repair and service industry and consumers. Despite the fact that about half of all automotive mechanics in the United States are Hispanic, little if any Spanish-language material exists for the automotive repair industry and those consumers who change their own motor oil. EPA hopes to fill this void through a widescale distribution of these materials, which include posters, brochures and bumper stickers.
The
"You Dump It, You Drink It"
campaign focuses on the proper management of used motor oil and includes a variety of free, printed information materials that are available in both Spanish and English. The materials were developed over a 12-month period, using information collected during a series of focus groups, one-on-one and telephone interviews, and on-the-job observations of employees in major Hispanic population centers.
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You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See
the PDF page
to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
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Materials in the
"You Dump It, You Drink It"
campaign include:
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You Dump It, You Drink It
[PDF File, 30 KB] - A poster for consumers and Do-It-Yourselfers on how to manage used motor oil.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Storing Used Motor Oil
[PDF File, 37 KB] - A poster for use in automotive repair and service shops to remind employees about the proper steps for storing used motor oil.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Managing Used Motor Oil
[PDF File, 35 KB] - A one-page reference card with tips for properly managing and storing used motor for owners and managers of automotive repair and service shops.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Recycle Used Motor Oil
[PDF File, 127 KB] - A brochure for Do-It-Yourselfers and consumers on how to change and dispose their used motor oil.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Managing Oil Spills
[PDF File, 35 KB] - A poster for use in automotive repair and service shops to remind employees about the proper management of used motor oil spills.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Used Motor Oil Contaminates Our Water
[PDF File, 21 KB] - A bumper sticker for consumers and Do-It-Yourselfers with the "You Dump It, You Drink It" slogan.
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You Dump It, You Drink It - Managing Used Motor Oil - Order Form
[PDF File, 60 KB]
You can also order the
"You Dump It, You Drink It"
materials online through our
Publications Page
.
Businesses
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Rules
-
July 30, 2003 - Final Rule
- Recycled Used Oil Management Standards
The support materials for this rule and the public comments EPA received on the proposal are available for public review online, as explained below.
To use the
Regulations.gov
:
- Select Advanced Search, then Docket Search.
- Select "Environmental Protection Agency" from the Agency drop-down menu.
- In the Docket ID box, type in the former EDOCKET number of RCRA-1998-0015 and press the "Submit" button to receive search results. Be patient; loading the documents takes time.
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July 14, 1998 - Removal of Direct Final Rule Amendments
- Removal of amendments included in the May 6, 1998 direct final rule that received adverse comment.
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May 6, 1998 - Direct Final Rule and Proposal
- Clarification of and corrections to the Used Oil Management Standards relating to used oil containing PCBs, response to releases, mixtures of used oil and CESQG wastes, incorrect references, and recordkeeping for marketers of on-specification used oil.
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June 28, 1996 - Notice of Judicial Vacatur of Administrative Stay; Final Rule
- Reinstatement of the regulatory provisions set forth in 40 CFR 279.10(b)(2). [PDF File, 28 KB]
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October 30, 1995 - Administrative Stay
- Administrative stay of the regulatory provisions set forth in 40 CFR 279.10(b)(2) applicable to mixtures of used oil destined for recycling and either characteristic hazardous waste or waste listed as hazardous waste because it exhibits a hazardous waste characteristic. [PDF File , 72 KB]
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March 4, 1994 - Final Rule
- Clarification about used oil inserted into crude oil pipelines and refineries, used oil transfer stations, and used oil processors. [ASCII Text]
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September 10, 1992 - Final Rule
- Recycled Used Oil Management Standards [ASCII Text]
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Notices
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December 19, 2005 - Notice
- Information Collection Activities for Used Oil Management Standards - Announces that EPA has submitted a renewal notice toOMB (EPA ICR Number 1286.07, OMB Control Number 2050-0124, expires 12/31/05).
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April 12, 2002 - Notice
- Information Collection Request for Used Oil - Announces that EPA is soliciting comments on Used Oil ICR (EPA ICR No. 1286, OMB Control No. 2050-0124, expires 6/30/02) before OMB submission. [Adobe PDF, 38 KB]
- ICR Supporting Document,
PDF File
[313 KB]
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October 14, 1998 - Notice
- Information Collection Request for Used Oil - Announces that the Used Oil ICR (EPA ICR No. 1286) is coming up for renewal and that EPA is soliciting comments. [Adobe File, 40 KB]
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April 17, 1996 - Notice
- Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review - Used Oil ICR (EPA ICR No. 1286.04) approved by OMB. [Adobe PDF, 20 KB]
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February 6, 1996 - Notice
- Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review - Used Oil ICR (EPA ICR No. 1286.04) forwarded to OMB for review and approval. [PDF File, 20 KB]
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September 1, 1995 Notice
- Information Collection Request for Used Oil - Announces that the Used Oil ICR (EPA ICR No. 1286) is coming up for renewal and that EPA is soliciting comments. [PDF File, 27 KB]
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Regulations Related to Used Oil
from the
Code of Federal Regulations
Other Regulations Related to Used Oil
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40 CFR Part 261 - Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste (Adobe Acrobat PDF) - Even if your used oil is not subject to the Used Oil regs; it could still be regulated as a hazardous waste - especially if it fails the TCLP - check here.
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Find the current
40 CFR Part 761 PCB regulations here!
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Manufacturing, Processing, Distribution in Commerce, and Use Prohibitions (Adobe Acrobat PDF). PCB's are usually found in an oil-like state; used as lubricating & cooling fluids where high-temperature tolerance and heat transfer is needed; like in electrical transformers.
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Related Links
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This page was updated on
23-Mar-2009
