We were talking about this at work today. I am curious myself. I imagine most of it is burned but wonder what happens to used coolant/anti freeze also.
Thank You
Thank You
What happens to used oil in other countries?
- Thread starter 53' Stude
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2021
- Messages
- 415
In less developed countries, I'm sure some of it is burned but the majority of it either gets dumped on the ground or poured in a waterway.
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2021
- Messages
- 415
I spent 9 months in Oman and they used to spray diesel fuel on the sand keep the sand from kicking up and blowing everywhere. All the potable water there was desalinated seawater, so I'm sure they weren't worried about groundwater contamination.
Developed Nations have pretty good recycling systems and vigilence, but your question is very good in terms of 3rd world countries primarily because most of these places have their populations more concerned about health care, feeding themselves and their families and the impact of the improper disposal of used chemicals is not going to be on their top 50 concerns. IMHO.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Lucas Oil buys it for use in their products?
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
My post was meant as satire- sorry if it read differently.
This is a good question. I would like to see some of the BITOG members that are from Europe chime in on this. I have heard that most of the EU countries have very strict recycling requirements for motor oil and such. Anyone know for sure?
In Kabul they burn it in the winter for heat
Back in the day (1960s and earlier) two garages in my home town in Saskatchewan poured used oil on the gravel roadways outside their buildings as a dust suppressant.
The organic portion of that motor oil eventually would be consumed by various life forms but there would have been lead in used oil in that era (from the tetra ethyl lead in fuel) which would be persistent.
I spent some time in the head office of a major oil company 25 years ago and they were most worried about metals contamination. One gas field produced a small amount of mercury along with the gas and (quite rightly) caused real concerns. The mercury was easily stripped out of the natural gas so it never reached consumers but it tended to accumulate here and there at the production sites. Not good for workers or the environment.
The organic portion of that motor oil eventually would be consumed by various life forms but there would have been lead in used oil in that era (from the tetra ethyl lead in fuel) which would be persistent.
I spent some time in the head office of a major oil company 25 years ago and they were most worried about metals contamination. One gas field produced a small amount of mercury along with the gas and (quite rightly) caused real concerns. The mercury was easily stripped out of the natural gas so it never reached consumers but it tended to accumulate here and there at the production sites. Not good for workers or the environment.
They're still doing what we used to do. Spray it on dirt roads to help keep the dust down. We actually did far worse.
Remember the whole Times Beach, Missouri fiasco? They ended up having to demolish a whole town, because they sugar coated all the roads with Dioxin.
Remember the whole Times Beach, Missouri fiasco? They ended up having to demolish a whole town, because they sugar coated all the roads with Dioxin.
I always wondered what happened to that plant that supplied the idiot that sprayed it
I've read that here, in the states, at one time Gasoline was a useless byproduct of Kerosene distillation/refining, that for the most part, just got dumped on fields..
I'm going to take a humorous guess and say.....it cometh from the ground and they sendith it back to the ground. Onto a side note.. apparently AutoZone doesn't want your recycled oil if it comes from high ester content. Apparently if they try to burn it off or do whatever to make asphalt or tarmac or whatever that it doesn't work so well during the refining or recycling process. They should just post a sign that says anybody who's a true Auto enthusiast who uses high-end boutique Ester base oil or additives not to come there and don't buy anything from us because we can't help you with something as simple as recycling oil and helping with the environment. Every time I go into AutoZone it's like having to go into a bathroom in a public place. It's not a happy experience
I live just down the street from there, and have for some time. Just might be a clue as to why I am the way I am.
Similar threads
