Used Oil Disposal Myths

Used motor oil is a hazardous material, yet a handful of persistent misconceptions lead people to handle it badly. Clearing up these used oil disposal myths matters, because the wrong choice can quietly poison water, soil and air while it seems harmless in the moment.

Myth: Drains and Sewers Are Fine

Pouring used oil down a drain or sewer is never acceptable. Oil spreads as a film across water, cutting off oxygen and harming aquatic life, while its heavy metals and hydrocarbons can reach drinking supplies that municipal plants are not designed to strip out.

Myth: Burning Is a Simple Fix

Open burning releases volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals into the air, and it leaves toxic ash behind. In most regions it also breaches the rules that exist precisely to keep these pollutants out of the environment.

Myth: Any Old Container and Indefinite Storage Will Do

Not every container survives contact with oil, and storing indefinitely invites leaks as materials degrade. Used oil belongs in dedicated, leak-proof and clearly labelled containers, kept cool, dry and away from ignition sources until it is collected.

Myth: Recycling Is Optional

The most damaging myth is that used oil need not be recycled. Re-refining turns it back into lubricants and fuel, cutting the demand for virgin crude and keeping a recoverable resource from becoming a pollutant. Recycling is the responsible default, and collection points make it easy to do right.

Learn More:

• Feasibility Studies for Waste-to-Value Projects
• Turn-Key EPC Delivery
• Plant Design & Engineering
• Facility Efficiency Upgrades
• Resource Recovery Projects

Turn used oil into a resource, not a pollutant

Correct storage and recycling keep hazardous oil out of the environment and back into productive use.

Klean Industries builds recovery systems that make responsible oil handling the simple, obvious choice.

Considering a used oil recovery project?

Contact Klean Industries about used oil recovery » GO.