Recycling oils

Description

Recycling oils involves collecting used or waste oils—such as motor, cooking, or industrial oils—and processing them for reuse or safe disposal. This strategy prevents environmental contamination, conserves resources, and reduces reliance on virgin oil production. Essential actions include systematic collection, filtration, and re-refining processes to remove impurities, enabling oils to be repurposed as lubricants, fuels, or raw materials. Effective oil recycling mitigates pollution, supports circular economy practices, and addresses hazardous waste management challenges.

Implementation

Each year about 1,400 million gallons of used oil is recycled in the USA from diverse sources. Such oil is commonly recycled as an industrial boiler fuel or is re-refined into new lubricants. American Petroleum Institute (API) members report that service stations and quick lube operations collecting oil from the public have since 1991 increased tenfold from 800 sites.