[Vwdiesel] Burning Used Crankcase Oil

[David Cook]

--- Patrick Dolan <pmdolan at sasktel.net> wrote:

> I am truly amazed at how many people consider
> burning used lube oil as an environmentally viable
> exercise.  There is a mature base oil re-refining
> industry in both Canada and the USA, and any
> diversion of resources from that system entails
> considerable waste of a resource that is very
> difficult and expensive to make (base oil).  But,
> what the heck - it's in Mother Earth news - or some
> other publication that probably thinks burning wood
> is somehow "green" as well, so why mess with urban
> myths.

How are we to know what is done with the oil that we
drop off at the recycler?  I think many times it is
sold/given/etc to people who simply use it in oil
burners to heat their shops.  

What is the difference?  Seems like it also saves the
time and expense of re-refining that old oil into
kerosene or whatever other type of oil burning furnace
 that would otherwise be used to heat that shop.  This
is especially true when you consider the energy that
would be expended transporting the oil to/from the
shop.

The same amount of oil is going to be used one way or
another.  And, as was pointed out, the EPA
acknowledges that burning it cleanly in a metered,
measured, controlled environment is preferable to
taking the chance of some of that oil being spilled
and contaminating the groundwater, etc.

The perfect example is the school bus shop I used to
work for.  Whenever they changed the oil in a bus,
they would save it in a big container.  Then, in the
winter, all that oil was used in a big, oil-burning
furnace to heat the shop that they use to repair the
buses, etc.

If they didn't do this, then the school district would
have to pay a company to come and clean out their
container.  The oil would be sucked from a hose from
the container to the truck's tank.  Of course, at
least a small amount will probably be dripped in this
process.  

Then the truck had to drive to the processing center
where it is transferred to another container.  At that
point it is probably stored for some time before being
transferred to another, larger truck to be carried to
the refinery.  Of course, there is once again a chance
of some being spilled.