United states
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(OS-305)
Cf/VOOU-o yv-
Fall 1990
SEPA Used Oil Recycling
EPA Offers "How to" Manual and
Informational Brochures
More and more communities and in-
dividuals are recognizing the harmful ef-
fects of mismanaged, used automobile oil
generated by Do-lt-Yourselfers (DlYs), and
are looking for ways to solve this problem.
EPA recently published a manual entitled How
to Set Up a Local Used Oil Recycling Program,
along with three supporting brochures on
used oil recycling, to assist groups in setting
up programs for DIY oil collection.
The manual is designed to assist govern-
ment, civic, or other groups in coordinating a
community recycling program. It draws on the
experience of states and municipalities to
provide information on the step-by-step
design of an appropriate recycling program,
the logistics of implementation, the various
ways to publicize a program, and the coor-
dination of public and private groups.
The manual also describes fundamental
needs that must be met before a recycling
program can be put into action, such as gain-
ing public input into the design of the program,
ensuring that there are adequate resources to
run the program, and carefully choosing
recyclers with a record of safe operations. In
addition, the manual contains useful refer-
ences and materials, including facts and
figures on the used oil problem, lists of state
programs that can provide support, and
sample publicity information. With these and
other materials provided by the manual, a
community will be able to conduct a safe and
successful used oil recycling program.
(Continued on page 4)
How to Set Up a Local Used Oil
Recycling Program
Summary of the Manual's
Table of Contents
• Local Action Is the Key
Provides background on the used oil
problem and recycling programs in
general.
• Organization of the Effort:
Cooperation Is the Key
Describes the roles and relationships of
potential recycling program participants.
* Designing and Implementing
the Program
Details the essential components of a
recycling program and how to put those
components together.
• Ideas for Promoting a Used Oil
Program
Offers suggestions for making the public
aware of the used oil problem and of recy-
cling options.
• Administrative Issues
Discusses program management, funding
and budget issues, tracking the program's
progress overtime, and legal requirements.
• Recycling Recycled
Explains EPA's view of recycling and the
country's waste problem in general.
In This Issue'^;; /;( \; . *' ,, \, /', v .A ^"v "
• E>^ Offers "How to" Manual and informational Brochures (p.1)
V OH Overcharge Aids Florida Recycling (p. 2)
D Florida Boosts Recycling through incentives (p, 2) \
• A tale" of Two PETROs: Partners in Recyclirtg and 1 :
v*-GeorgiansProjectPETRO (p.3);/ ,; ."_; ^ * \" ,*';;; ':
• Straight from the Crankcase (p. 4);; > \, ; x : %
Used Oil Recycling is printed on recycled paper.
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Oil Overcharge Aids Florida Recycling
i
An obstacle often encountered when setting up a recycling
program is lack of funding. In 1988, Florida's Governor's
Energy Office (GEO) addressed this problem by transferring
$18.5 million in oil overcharge funds to the state's Department
of Environmental Regulation (DER). The source for this GEO
i
Private efforts, in combination
with the DER's work, are helping
to make Florida's used oil program
a success.
funding was the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which
received a litigation award from oil companies that charged
the public too much for their oil in the 1970s. The DOE
distributed this money to the affected states for use in energy-
related programs. The $18.5 million given to the DER is being
used for recycling and education grants; $2.5 million of this
funding was granted specifically for used oil recycling.
Of the $2.5 million designated for used oil recycling, $1
million is being distributed through grants to local governments
to set up public used oil collection centers. By the end of June
1989, 54 counties and 6 cities, plus the Miccosukee Indian
Tribe, appUed for and received grants to establish (ap-
proximately 200 public used oil collection centers and to
encourage oil recycling. The grants ranged from $4,000 to
$25,000.
Local governments receiving grants for used oil collection
have used the money to set up different types of collection
programs. Dade County, Florida's most populated county
(about 2 million residents), used its grant to purchase four
280-gaIton used oil tanks. These tanks are located throughout
the county in such a way that Do-lt-Yourselfers (DlYs) do not
have to travel more than 10 miles to reach a used oil tahk.
Public response was so great that the tanks were almbst
half-filled before the program officially began.
Hemado County used its grant money to set up a curbsjde
collection program that serves approximately 25,000
households. From the start, this program met with great suc-
cess. Two thousand gallons of used oil were collected in the
first 1 1/2 months of the program—before the program was
even publicized! St. Lucie County used its funds to purchase
a mobile collection vehicle, which makes pickups at 11 dif-
ferent locations each month. Also, as part of St. Lucie County's
efforts to increase used oil recycling, people who contribute
their used oil are given tickets for a monthly raffle. Raffle
winners receive a case of recycled motor oil.
Recycling programs sponsored by local governments
have spurred volunteer efforts as well. For example, the
Florida Petroleum Council and Florida Petroleum Marketeers
Association support the state's efforts, and are encouragifig
their members to participate in local recycling programs
Out of a possible 131 BP America (Gulf Service Stations)
dealers, 113 have signed up to serve as collection stations
for DIY used oil. All Sears stores in the state that have
automotive departments also accept used oil. In addition,
about 100 privately owned service stations in Dade County
have volunteered to serve as public used oil collection
centers. These private efforts, in combination with the
DER's work, are helping to make Florida's used oil program
a success.
A DIY used oil collection system, however, can only be as
successful as its public education and promotion programs.
For this reason, Florida granted the remaining $1.5 million of
used oil funding to Valencia Community College to establish a
statewide used oil recycling education and promotion program.
Program coordinators have developed brochures, pamphlets,
and posters to promote used oil recycling. They also are
(Continued on page 4)
Florida Boosts Recycling
through Incentives
Florida offers several incentives to increase the
amount of used oil recycled in the state; All incen-
tives, plus the oil overcharge funding, are driven by
Florida's 1988 Solid Waste Management Act, which
requires a 30 percent reduction in solid waste (including
motor oil) through recycling by 1994.
To increase the market demand, Florida provides a 5
percent price preference for the purchase of rerefined
used oil by state and local governments. To address
potential liability for collectors and transporters, new
state regulations indemnify those businesses that ac-
cept DIY used oil from cleanup responsibility for spills
from their public used oil tanks. Liability also is reduced
for businesses that accept used oil from the public, if
they do not knowingly mix hazardous Substances with
the oil, and if they use a certified used oil transporter.
These and other incentives offered by Florida are
helping to make recycling of used oil a success.
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A Tale bf Two PEfROs
Partners in Recycling
Last summer, the local government of Lexington/Fayette
County, Kentucky, and Valvoline Oil Company launched a
used oil recycling program called PETRO (Protect the En-
vironment through Recycled Oil). The program, whose
primary purpose is to inform citizens of the dangers as-
sociated with improper disposal of used oil, is a good example
of how industry and government can work together to protect
the environment. Such programs also provide companies like
Valvoline with an opportunity to act on their concern for the
environment. In the case of PETRO, this public/private coopera-
tion is very successful;;since the program's inception, 25 focal
businesses have volunteered to act as used oil collection sites,
and over 5,700 gallons of used oil were saved in just 6 months.
PETRO began because the local government saw a need
to address soil and ground-water contamination caused by
improperly managed used oil. Local officials approached
Valvoline, a manufacturer of automotive oil centered in Lexington,
with a proposal for a local used oil recycling program that would
be sponsored by the company. Valvoline agreed to the
proposal and began "lending a hand" to the new program.
The program was kicked off by a news conference featuring
John Barr, President of Valvoline Oil Company; Scotty Baesler,
Mayor of Lexington; Pat Dugger, Directorof the Lexington/Fayette
County Environmental and Emergency Management; and Al
Unser, Jr., who races cars sponsored by Valvoline. The pur-
pose of the news conference was to recruit businesses that
could serve as collection sites and to increase residents'
participation. The kickoff greatly boosted local interest in used
oil recycling. As a result of this media event, calls from Do-lt-
Yourselfers (DlYs) who wanted information on recycling used
oil increased dramatically. Also, a number of automotive ser-
vice stations volunteered to help out as collection sites.
Both Valvoline and the Lexington/Fayette County govern-
ment contribute resources to PETRO. Government staff led by
Ms. Dugger administer PETRO while Valvoline provides both
monetary and public relations support. At the start of PETRO,
Valvoline donated $10,000 to the program. This funding is
being used to purchase two "pods" needed to hold collected
used oil and to pay for promotional campaigns that encourage
citizens to properly dispose of their used oil. In addition, Valvoline
evaluates monthly progress reports prepared by the local
government to determine other ways to support PETRO.
The PETRO program may be a steppingstone to future
recycling efforts for both Valvoline and the Lexington area.
Because of the success of the program, Valvoline is using
PETRO as the basis for launching a nationwide recycling
program. Lexington is studying the possibility of setting
up a pilot curbside pickup program for recyclables such as
glass and paper^ If this program is successful, used
automobile oil eventually may be added to the pickup.
For more information on this recycling partnership, contact
Pat Dugger at (606) 258-3784.
Georgia's Project PETRO
By starting a program called
Project PETRO, Georgia has
become one of several southeastern
states to establish a used oil recycling
program. Project PETRO (Protectthe
Environment through Recycling Oil)
is aimed at making Georgia citizens
aware of the economic and environ-
mental advantages gained by collect-
ing used oil for reuse. The ultimate
goal is to significantly increase the
amount of oil turned in by individuals
for recycling. Since the program's inception over a year ago,
over 125,000 gallons of used oil have been collected.
Developed and directed by the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division (EPD),
Project PETRO was established through a 2-year, $116,500
grant from the state's Office of Energy Resources. This grant,
which originally came from the U.S. Department of Energy's
oil overcharge fund, expired this summer. Although the EPD
has reapplied for a $100,000 grant, the EPD hopes to develop
a recycling program that is virtually self-sustaining and re-
quires little governmental support.
To ensure the success of such a program, citizens must be
educated and businesses persuaded to volunteer as used oil
collection sites. Therefore, the EPD used its initial 2-year grant to
develop informational materials such as posters, stickers, and
flyers. A slide show describing the importance of recycling also
was developed, and is shown to school, social, and civic groups.
To increase the number of oil collection sites, the EPD provides
as much guidance as is possible to businesses that ask for
information. Information provided includes regulations for storage
of used oil and lists of dependable used oil handlers. Businesses
that volunteer are put on a list, which is distributed to DIYs.
Through Project PETRO efforts, approximately 150 auto service
stations in over 50 towns had volunteered to act as collection
sites as of October 1990. Also, all Sears automotive centers
participate in Georgia's recycling program.
The EPD can provide "Do-lt-Yourselfers" with the most
current listing of statewide collection sites. For more informa-
tion on Georgia's Project PETRO, call the EPD at (404)656-
2833 or (800)33-GA-EPD.
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EPA Offers "How to"
Manual and Informational
Brochures
(Continued from page 1)
EPA also offers three supporting informational brochures
that are designed to be used by local recycling programs to
promote their programs and educate the public: ;
« 10 Steps to Change Your Oil: Targeted at DlYs] this
brochure briefly describes how to change automobile oil
in an environmentally sound manner. The harmful efjfects
of improperly disposing of used oil also are discussed.
» For Service Stations and Other Vehicle-Service
Fa(?/////es:This brochure offers suggestions for properly
handling and storing used automobile oil. !
I
» What Can You Do?: Both the results of imprpper
management of used automobile oil and ways to recycle
this resource are described in this brochure. [
I
Used oil recycling programs may use the brochures ^s they
are, or revise and reprint them to meet a program's specific
needs. Groups also may stamp their logos on the brochures
or add stickers containing collection site information. !
To obtain a free copy of the manual and brochures, Contact
EPA's RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800)424-9346. For the
hearing Impaired, call TDD .(800)553-7672. If you live in
Washington, DC, call 382-3000, or TDD 475-9652. You may
also write to:
RCRA Information Center (OS-305)
Office of Solid Waste
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20460
5% Recycled
(10 million gallons)
61%
Dumped
(118 million
gallons)
4% Burned
(7 million gallons)
30%
Disposed
of in trash
(58 million
gallons)
Disposition of DIY Used Oil -1988
Oil Overcharge Aids Florida
Recycling
(Continued from page 2)
working to get organizations such as Walt Disney World to help
support their efforts. Besides targeting the general public, the
program is specifically aimed at:
« DlYs who change their own motor oil.
• Kindergarten and first grade children, high school and
middle school students, and community college attendees.
• Science teacher training programs.
« Petroleum product retail outlets.
• Local government waste management programs.
» State and local government procurement staff.
Florida citizens are excited about helping to protect th{
environment through used oil recycling. Through these recyl
cling programs, much more of the estimated 10 million gallonf
of used oil produced by nonbusiness vehicles in Florida eac
year will be recycled. For more information on Florida's use
Oil recycling programs, contact Betsy Galocy of the Floridd
Department of Environmental Regulations at (904)488-0300J
Straight from the Crankcase
Chief Autoparts, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has started an innovative
used oil recycling program. This voluntary program allows customers to
deposit their used motor oil at no charge at over 100 specially equipped store
locations throughout the Southwest. The automotive parts store chain is the
sole sponsor of th,e program, and maintains a toll-free number, (800)245-9000,
for customers' convenience. Since November 1989, this flourishing program
has recycled over 30,000 gallons of used oil from customers.
The mention of publications, products, or organizations in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement or
approval for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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