> One of the Valvoline quick-oil-change shops here in town does this
> too. Ever since they told me about it I've wondered what it dumps
> into the air. I would think that used oil (or even fresh oil) has
> heavy metals and other stuff besides fully-combustible hydrocarbons.
> Of course, when you combust it in your engine you are also dumping it
> into the air, but you generally combust only a fraction of the oil
> you put into your car, and any sludge (heaven forbid!) generally gets
> drained off at the next oil change. Plus, you burn your quart or so
> spread over a large area instead of all immediately upwind of your
> neighbors. I don't mean to be judgemental of M.H. here, just
> curious. Is this one of those things the flies under the
> environmental (and EPA) radar because it is so uncommon? Is it
> really believed to be not a problem?
Jim, I don't think anyone would disagree that burning used oil generates
more pollution than burning virgin oil. However, you have to balance that
against the pollution that would be generated in producing the virgin oil,
plus the pollution generated by other means of disposing of the used oil;
not to mention the cost both monetary and political in obtaining the virgin
oil. To put it another way, we need people that are happy to get used oil,
to keep other people from pouring it down the drain and wasting all that
energy.
So, for those and probably other reasons as well, the EPA has chosen to not
classify used oil as hazardous waste, and to allow burning it for fuel under
some circumstances. Here's one article on the subject :
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/Oil/Documents/OILNEW1.ht
m
Randall
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