Re: Virgin Oil Waste: Used Oil Waste

[Graham Noble <gnoble@global.co.za>]

> > Ric Illig wanted to know:->
> >     RE: Waste Virgin Oil & Used Oil Waste
> >
> >    One & All,
> >
> >    Recently, in discussing the recycling of plastic oil containers,
> >    the number 3.4 billion plastic containers produced yearly was
> >    used.  Also, (on a similar topic) if each empty container still
> >    held about one ounce of virgin oil, that the resulting disposal
> >    of the containers meant that a huge amount of oil was also being
> >    disposed of annually...dwarfing the Exxon Valdez spill many times
> >    over.
> >
> >    Does anyone have documentation to reflect these figures??
> >
> >    Likewise, I have an article addressing the recycling of used
> >    (auto) oil which states that only about 10 percent of the 190
> >    million gallons produced yearly actually gets recycled.
> >    Reportedly, the remainder...16 TIMES THE EXXON VALDEZ SPILL...
> >    goes elsewhere (sewers, landfills, burners,etc.).
> >
> >    Does anyone have documentation to support these numbers??
> >
> >    Seems to me we ought to be swimming in oil if this is the case.
> >    If true, especially about the used oil, seems time for regulators
> >    to take a different approach before we are swimming in the stuff.
> >    (I have been a big advocate of handling used oil as a recyclable
> >    for years now but government seems dedicated to regulating oil
> >    for the worse.)(I know some people will always mix hazardous
> >    wastes and other stuff in with their used oil, but that seems to
> >    still happen, and I don't believe it can ever be controlled.  I
> >    also doubt the overall potential harmful effects that may occur
> >    unless everybody started mixing weird stuff in used oil.)
> >
> >    Can anyone cast clarity on these numbers, sources of information,
> >    approaches in other states/countries?  Does any state/country
> >    show better success at recycling or collection of used oil?  I
> >    would like to handle waste oil (hydraulic, industrial, etc.)
> >    separately, but any information addressing this topic, aside
> >    from virgin oil/used oil would also be appreciated.
> >
> >    Thank you,
> >
> >    Ric
>   ----------------------------------------------------------------->
> Let me throw the following information on used oil your way.  Most of
> the references to used oil generation (rates, sources), management
> (recycling, disposal, etc), and statistical stuff are foot-noted as
> to source:
> 
> Hazardous Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of
> Hazardous Waste; Recycled Used Oil Management Standards: Final Rule
> (Federal Register; September, 10 1992; Vol. 57, No. 176)
> Note: Although this is typical lawyer-oriented material, the
> background info is useful, and provides a perspective or rationale
> on the ruling.
> 
> National Used Oil Collection Study: Manufacturing, Distribution and
> Marketing (May 1996); American Petroleum Institute; 1220 L Street,
> Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20005; (202) 682-8000
> Note: This documents discusses  state used oil collection programs.
> It also addresses the impediments to recycling used oil.
> 
> Cost and Economic Impact of 1992 Used Oil Management Standards -
> Prepared for by: Regulatory Analysis Branch; Office of Solid Waste;
> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (August 4, 1992).
> Note: The primary purpose of this document is to outline the cost and
> economic impact relative to the 1992 used oil management standards.
> It provides statistics (and sources) on used oil generation and
> management activities.  For example: "Generation and Flow of Used Oil
> in the United States in 1988; prepared by Frank A. Smith, Office of
> Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by Philip H.
> Voorhees, Temple, Barker, & Sloane, Inc.
> 
> Used Oil: Disposal Options, Management Practices and Liability (Second
> Edition); John J. Nolan (National Oil Recyclers Association),
> Christopher Harris (Schmeltzer, Aptaker & Sheppard, P.C., and Patrick
> O. Cavanaugh, Schmeltzer, Aptaker, & Sheppard, P.C.; May 1989
> (Government Institutes, Inc.;
> 906 Hungerford Drive, #24; Rockville, MD 20850)
> Note: A lot of the used oil statistics referenced in this book were
> obtained from Franklin Associates in 1984: Composition and Management
> of Used Oil Generated in the United States - prepared for the U.S.
> Environmental Protection Agency.
> 
> Used Oil Management in Selected Industrial Countries (Discussion Paper
> #064, January 1991)  Put Together by Andrew Lohof; Prepared by
> American Petroleum Institute; 1220 L Street, Northwest, Washington,
> D.C. 20005.
> Notes: discusses used oil management activities in European, Canadian,
> German, United Kingdom, etc.   Provides statistical figures on used 
> oil generation and disposal.
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------->
> Art Coleman, Ohio EPA
> Division of Hazardous Waste Management
> P.O. Box 1049
> Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049
> (614) 644-2968
> Fax (614) 728-1245 or (614) 644-2329
> art_coleman@central.epa.ohio.gov
> 
Is it possible to extract from these studies the information to assess:
1. the current fate of virgin oil (how much ends up where);
2. its overall and cumulative environmental impact?

Has anyone ever made those calculations?

Regards,
Graham Noble
gnoble@global.co.za
261 Brook Street, Brooklyn 0181, Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: +27 12 362-0102   Fax: +27 12 362-2607