Just a Little Oil Can Have a Big Impact

You may not think that a couple of gallons of used motor oil poured down a neighborhood storm drain or dumped from a boat can cause an environmental problem, but used oil is the single largest source of water pollution. People who change their own oil discard 180 million gallons in the U.S. environment every year – 15 times as much as the Exxon Valdez spill. The heavy metals and other contaminants contained in the oil can be toxic to people, wildlife, fish, shellfish and plants.

The good news is there is an alternative – recycling. Recycling used oil can keep it out of the environment, save crude oil, and result in valuable products. About 80% of the recycled oil collected in the U.S. is blended with virgin stock to be used as industrial heating oil. The rest is used as industrial fuel or re-refined into motor oil. It takes only one gallon of used oil to produce 2.5 quarts of motor oil, but 42 gallons of virgin crude oil are needed to produce the same amount. As a result of recycling, each automotive oil change can save over 80 gallons of crude oil. Studies show that re-refined oil performs as well as oil refined from crude oil. Motor oil doesn't wear out, but additives that prevent rust and corrosion must be replaced.

The used oil coordinator in the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality can provide more information on oil recycling: Solid Waste Division, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, P. O. Box 82178, Baton Rouge, LA 70884-2178 or contact the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program at (504) 388-6343.

Louisiana Wetlands News, Sea Grant, Louisiana State University. December 1997.