United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA-600/S7-82-031 August 1982
Project Summary
An Inventory of Used and
By-Product Hydrocarbon
Streams
John J. Yates, Rajan K. Chaudhry, and James A. Dewey
Between September 12, 1978, and
September 12,1979, ETA Engineering,
Inc., undertook a study to identify and
characterize the major used and by-
product gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon
streams generated by industry. Since
large quantities of these streams are be-
ing wasted or improperly disposed of, a
subsequent effort was made to estimate
their recovery potential. Once identified,
an inventory of the streams was devel-
oped, and the applicable control and
reclamation techniques were reviewed.
The magnitude of the various streams
was established by applying emission
factors to a relevant base variable, such
as the quantity of new material sold to
industry. The recovery potential estima-
tion was based upon the application of
reasonably available control and recycling
technology to each source category.
Some of the present disposal methods
for used liquid hydrocarbon streams
were also reviewed. Several alternative
methods of recycling and disposing of
such streams were then evaluated in
terms of their energy and economic im-
plications. Ultimately, several recom-
mendations were made for those areas
where further research might uncover
significant potential for used hydrocar-
bon recovery.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Industrial Environmental Re-
search Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in a sep-
arate report of the same title (see Project
Report ordering Information at back).
Introduction
Large quantities of used and by-product
hydrocarbon streams are generated by
industry each year. The loss of gaseous
and liquid hydrocarbon streams through
waste or improper disposal results in a
loss of energy resources and creates po-
tential hazards to the environment. For
example, an estimated 12.5 million
metric tons of volatile organic com-
pounds (VOC) are being lost to the at-
mosphere yearly from various sources
with significant recovery potential, in-
cluding petroleum refineries, gasoline
marketing facilities and industrial manu-
facturing. If the quantities of waste hy-
drocarbon streams can be minimized or
rendered suitable for reuse, tangible
benefits will accrue not only to industry
in the form of reduced fuel or lubricating
costs, for instance, but also to society in
the form of a safer environment. And a
valuable energy source will have been
reclaimed.
Emissions of hydrocarbons are gov-
erned by various state and federal regu-
lations. Gaseous hydrocarbon streams
are regulated by the Clean Air Act and its
1970 and 1977 amendments. Further-
more, all states are currently proposing
regulations to control hydrocarbon emis-
sions as part of their state implementa-
tion plans (SIP) to meet the national am-
bient air quality standards mandated by
the Clean Air Act and promulgated by
the U.S. EPA. Major federal regulations
governing the use, conservation, and
disposal of liquid hydrocarbon streams
are (1) the Resource Conservation and
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Recovery Act, (2) the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act, and (3) the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act. In addition,
several states have passed legislation re-
lated to used oil disposal to encourage
the recycling of used oils and to avoid un-
satisfactory disposal of waste streams.
In light of such regulations, industry has
been forced to scrutinize the types and
volumes of hydrocarbon streams being
generated. In particular, companies will
be looking to identify the major used and
by-product streams with significant po-
tential for recovery and reuse. Further-
more, it has been proposed in the Federal
Register of December 18, 1978, that
used oil be declared a hazardous material.
This will give industry added incentive to
track the in-plant use and disposal of
oils.
Approaches and Procedures
Used gaseous hydrocarbon streams
include a variety of source categories,
but this study emphasized those source
categories with significant emission and/
or recovery potential. For example, the
storage of petroleum products other
than gasoline has been excluded from
this study due to their low vapor pres-
sures. Gaseous hydrocarbons were clas-
sified and considered as volatile organic
compounds (VOC) in order to include
some organics in this study—e.g., halo-
genated organic solvent—that are not
truly hydrocarbons according to strict
definition. The effects of such organics
on the environment and their recovery
potential, however, are as significant as
those of pure hydrocarbons.
Gaseous hydrocarbons, VOCs, i.e.,
are emitted from a variety of stationary
and mobile sources, with stationary
sources accounting for approximately
60 percent of the total emissions. Indus-
trial sources of VOC surveyed in this
study include (1) petroleum refining, (2)
gasoline marketing facilities, (3) indus-
trial manufacturing, (4) solid waste dis-
posal, and (5) stationary fuel combus-
tion facilities. In addition, solvent evapo-
ration from a variety of solvent coating
operations was also surveyed. VOC
emissions due to solvent evaporation are
the largest single contributor to emis-
sions from stationary sources (degreas-
ing, dry cleaning, graphic arts, for exam-
ple). Of these stationary sources, surface
coating operations are the most signi-
ficant, accounting for almost 1.8 million
metric tons per year. Major industrial
surface coating applications include (a)
metal coating, (b) paper, film, and foil
coating, (c) fabric coating, (d) coating of
flat wood products, and (e) wood furni-
ture coating.
For each VOC source category, the fol-
lowing information was derived, source
description, emissions characteristics,
quantification of hydrocarbon emissions,
applicable control technologies, and re-
covery/capture potential. VOC emission
sources with recovery potential were
grouped into major source categories
based on either process characteristics
or the properties of the products whose
manufacture resulted in VOC emissions.
Hydrocarbon emissions for each major
source were then calculated by using
emission factors given in related techni-
cal literature. To quantify annual source
emissions, the emission factors were ap-
plied to published statistics on the pro-
duction or quantities of material handled.
Used oils and used solvents are the
major used liquid hydrocarbon streams
with significant recovery potential, al-
though basic organic manufacturing in-
dustries also generate significant
streams of used liquid hydrocarbon.
Other liquid hydrocarbon streams offer
little recovery protential because of high
contamination levels, difficulties of sep-
aration, and other technical considera-
tions. Used oils are generated chiefly in
the primary metal and metal-working in-
dustries and in the transportation/auto-
motive sector. Industrial oils include lube
oils, cutting or hydraulic oils, and pro-
cess oils, for example. Oils generated in
the transportation, or automotive, sector
include engine oils, hydraulic fluids, and
other miscellaneous lubricating oils.
Theoretically, almost all of this used oil
should be recoverable. The recovery of
used oil remains inconsequential, how-
ever, because of poor handling and
maintenance procedures, inadequate
storage and stream segregation, and in-
sufficient knowledge of recycling tech-
niques. For example, most industrial
plants have not established a compre-
hensive oil accounting and reuse pro-
gram.
The solvents considered in this study
are all halogenated hydrocarbons, ke-
tones, and alcohols, which are employed
in applications in which they retain their
basic chemical identities after use. Only
certain solvent usage categories gener-
ate waste solvent streams that are po-
tentially recoverable. These categories
generally include those industries em-
ploying solvents for cleaning metals,
clothing or other materials. Oegreasing
applications utilize solvent vapors to
minimize solvent losses and improve
operating economy. Solvent reclama-
tion in commercial and industrial applica-
tions is presently minimal, largely be-
cause of the relatively low cost of any
virgin organic solvents. However, more
stringent environmental regulations,
coupled with the increased cost and un-
certain long-term availability of petrole-
um-based solvents, may make solvent
recovery more attractive.
In addition to the used oil and used sol-
vent streams, other major but less signi-
ficant streams of used liquid hydrocar-
bons are generated from the manufac-
ture of basic organic chemicals, coal tar
and derivatives, organic intermediates,
plasticizers, and electrochemical resins.
Although on a national basis no quantita-
tive data can be easily developed for the
liquid hydrocarbon streams generated
from these industries, they are expected
to be significant. These streams may of-
fer little potential for recovery as a pro-
duct, primarily because of high contami-
nation levels, difficulty of separation,
and other technical considerations. On
the other hand, they do offer a good po-
tential for recovery as fuel.
Findings
Estimates of VOC reduction and re-
covery potential represent the possible
reduction in VOC emissions achievable
through the application of control tech-
nology. This reduction can be due to the
elimination, recovery, or destruction of
VOC. Estimates of recovery potential
were based on a review of reasonably
available control technologies (RACT)
for major source categories as discussed
in the U.S. EPA's Control Technique
Guideline (CTG) documents, which were
developed to help states revise their SIPs
under the Clean Air Act. The estimation
of VOC emissions from the source cate-
gories considered existing control prac-
tices whenever possible. In the case of a
few source categories, no data were
available on the existing controls. The
emissions in such cases were calculated
based on a "no-control" assumption.
Significant quantities of the VOC re-
duction/recovery potential estimated in
this study will perhaps be achieved
when state-proposed regulations are fi-
nalized and implemented. Such regula-
tions will probably be based on economic
and air quality considerations, and so
they will not likely call for a uniform ap-
plication of RACT to all the sources.
Therefore, the reduction/recovery
achieved through the revised SIPs will be
less than estimated.
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VOC emissions due to (1) petroleum li-
quid storage at refineries and (2) trans-
portation of crude oil to refineries were
estimated by updating refinery storage
emission data in a recent U.S. EPA study
and assuming that no vapor recovery
equipment was used during the unload-
ing operations. The total achievable
VOC recovery potential from the crude
oil storage and transfer operations is ap-
proximately 417,000 metric tons per
year. The major sources of VOC emis-
sions in refinery operations are the
cracking units, blowdown systems,
vacuum distillation columns, and waste-
water systems. The reduction potential
for VOC emissions from these sources
was estimated to be approximately
570,000 metric tons per year. At pre-
sent there are no quantitative data avail-
able on the reduction potential for refin-
ery fugitive emissions. The control effi-
ciency for the fugitive emissions was as-
sumed to be 50 percent for estimating
the total VOC reduction potential. The
expected recovery potential for VOC
emissions from refinery operations is ap-
proximately 475,000 metric tons per
year.
Gasoline marketing operations (i.e.,
bulk terminals, bulk plants, and gasoline
dispensing facilities) emit a significant
amount of VOC, and most of these are
recoverable. CTG documents on these
facilities discuss the applicable controls
and the recovery potential. Surface
coating applications are also a major
source of VOC emissions. Out of a total
of 1,753,000 metric tons per year emit-
ted, 778,000 tons are due to the use of
trade paints and therefore cannot be
controlled because of the very nature of
the application. (Trade paints are shelf
products sold through retail stores.)
VOC emissions from industrial surface
coating applications total 975,000
metric tons per year, and these can be
controlled by various control technol-
ogies as discussed in CTG documents.
Based on an average control efficiency
of 90 percent, the potential reduction in
VOC emissions from surface coating ap-
plications in 878,000 metric tons per
year if all sources are adequately con-
trolled. The recovery potential can vary
from nil to a significant proportion of the
reduction potential. Process and mate-
rial changes provide a great potential for
the recovery of VOC emissions.
Dry cleaning operations contribute ap-
proximately 227,000 metric tons of
VOC emissions per year. The overall
average control efficiency for a perchlo-
roethylene dry cleaning plant was esti-
mated to be 58 percent. Based on this
estimate, the additional reduction/recov-
ery potential is approximately 92,000
metric tons per year. Most VOC emis-
sions from degreasing operations result
from such processes as bath evapora-
tion, solvent carryout, and waste sol-
vent evaporation. The application of
add-on control systems as recommended
in the CTG documents can reduce the
VOC emissions by 380,000-470,000
metric tons per year, a range which also
represents the recovery potential.
VOC emissions emanating from the
use of cutback asphalt can be eliminated
by using emulsified asphalt whenever
possible. The total emissions from this
source category are approximately
470,000 metric tons per year, and
about 235 metric tons of these can thus
be reduced/recovered. VOC emissions
from the use of miscellaneous solvents
are difficult to evaluate because of a
scarcity of specific data. The printing
and publishing industry, however, is one
of the major users of miscellaneous sol-
vents, and the achievable reduction in
VOC emissions within this industry is ap-
proximately 156,000 metric tons per
year (based on an average control effi-
ciency of 65 percent).
Again, because of a lack of sufficient
information (due to the large number of
plants), it was impossible to include all
the existing industrial manufacturing
operations. The total VOC emissions
from major industrial applications are es-
timated to be 700,000 metric tons per
year. There is very little information
available on the present extent of VOC
emission control in industrial applica-
tions, so the emissions were estimated
based on the "no control" assumption.
The overall quantities of used oil gen-
erated are estimated to be 1.43 billion
gallons per year, with the automotive
sector accounting for 0.74 billion gal-
lons and the industrial sector accounting
for 0.69 billions gallons. Theoretically,
almost all of this used oil should be re-
coverable. Such variables as the type
and quantity of oil used, contamination
levels, and storage methods affect the
amount that can be technically and
economically recovered. Therefore, the
present recovery of used oils is far below
potential recovery. Presently, the major
markets for used oil utilization are the in-
dustrial fuel market and the road oiling
market. Employing used oil for road oil-
ing, however, is a major source of water
pollution. And if the EPA's proposed ha-
zardous waste guidelines classifying
used oil as a hazardous substance are
adopted, used oil will no longer be al-
lowed for road oiling. Thus, the primary
reuse of used oil is as industrial fuel. Re-
refining can also be an attractive market
for used oils from an economic point of
view. Re-refining produces fuel (distil-
late) and lubricating oil base stocks
which can be used for motor oils, trans-
mission fluids, gear oils, cutting oils,
hydraulic oils, and quench oils.
Quantities of used solvents generated
are difficult to estimate, but their recov-
ery potential is very significant. Used sol-
vent streams are generated from those
applications where the solvents retain
their chemical identities after use. Re-
covery potential depends on contamina-
tion level, application, type of solvent,
and reuse potential. At present, only a
small percentage of used solvent is recy-
cled; the balance is landfilled, inciner-
ated, evaporated, or dumped. About 45
percent of the solvents used in the de-
greasing industry are recovered, but for
the other industry groups, the percentage
of used solvents reclaimed is considera-
bly less than 45 percent. The consump-
tion of some selected virgin solvents in
major commercial applications is approx-
imately 4.7 million metric tons per year,
an estimate derived by considering halo-
genated hydrocarbons, ketones, and
alcohol-based solvents. The typical re-
clamation process consists of six opera-
tions—initial storage and handling, initial
treatment to separate contaminants,
distillation, purification, additional sto-
rage and handling, and waste disposal.
The primary applications in which wide-
spread solvent recovery and reclamation
are practiced (the dry cleaning, metal
cleaning and degreasing, and surface
coating industries) use synthetic, or
halogenated, hydrocarbons. The high in-
itial cost of these solvents makes their
reclamation economically attractive.
Although other industries generate
waste liquid solvent streams, few statis-
tics on a nationwide basis could be de-
veloped. Such industries as canning,
chemical manufacture, and rubber and
plastics manufacture, consider solvent
usage data to be proprietary information
which, if disclosed, might reveal valu-
able process information. Little informa-
tion is available on liquid hydrocarbon
streams generated during the manufac-
ture of basic organic chemicals, coal tar
and derivatives, organic intermediates,
plasticizers, and electrochemical resins.
In particular, these offer good potential
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for reuse as a fuel. (Fuel thus derived dif-
fers from petroleum fuel oil in flow
characteristics, air-to-fuel ratio, pump
and pressure requirements. It also has a
lower BTU rating.) These types of hydro-
carbon streams are now being burned at
an increasing rate in many areas of the
country.
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Based on the review of hydrocarbon
sources, their emissions, control tech-
nologies, and recovery potential, several
programs are recommended to improve
the recovery potential of used hydrocar-
bon streams and to review the energy
implications of some control/recovery
processes. These programs are in addi-
tion to those already initiated by state
and federal agencies to conserve and re-
cover dwindling supplies of nonrenew-
able energy resources. Until now, for ex-
ample, very little work has been done to
study the lubricating oil use patterns in
industrial plants and to develop pro-
grams to improve their reuse potential.
It is estimated that approximately 70
percent of all used industrial oils cannot
be readily accounted for. Clearly there
are both energy-saving and economic
reasons for recycling used oil in the in-
dustrial plant, particularly if used oil is
declared a hazardous material under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act. Therefore, a key recommendation
is the development of an oil conservation
program that will extensively audit oil
use and disposal practices, analyze the
economics of various reuse options, rec-
ommend improvements in operation and
maintenance practices, and assess the
energy implications of the several reuse/
disposal methods available. A detailed
industry-specific study should be under-
taken to audit industrial oil use, to
evaluate used oil disposal practices, to
suggest better operational and mainten-
ance practices, and to analyze the eco-
nomics of alternative disposal methods
and other uses for used oil. An industry-
specific study should include primary
data collection at plants. Then, as an
outcome of this study, a practical in-
plant guide or handbook should be pre-
pared for general dissemination.
To obtain a complete overview of the
net energy impacts of controlling and re-
claiming used hydrocarbon streams, it is
important to estimate the energy de-
mands of RACT by (1) reviewing avail-
able data on energy requirements of pol-
lution control equipment, (2) identifying
pollution control equipment require-
ments for various industry categories,
(3) analyzing the energy requirements of
implementing RACT, and (4) recom-
mending methods for reducing pollution
control energy requirements. Hydrocar-
bon recovery can also be improved
through application of a different RACT
than is presently required.
As a result of this study, a number of
specific recommendations have also
been formulated. With respect to liquid
hydrocarbon streams, for example, it is
recommended that the U.S. EPA develop
mechanisms that could enable state
agencies to identify sources and analyze
the resultant streams, recommend mea-
sures to improve stream quality, and
analyze the effects of burning these
streams as fuel. With respect to used
solvent streams, the following areas
should be examined in detail:
• Amount(s) available for reclamation
• Disposal practices in light of RCRA
• Modifications in operating and main-
tenance procedures
• Economics of solvent reclamation
The 1978 Energy Tax Act's definition of
recycling equipment should be broad-
ened to include used oil and used solvent
recycling equipment. This would provide
an incentive to increase the recycling of
used liquid hydrocarbon streams. (The
definition currently relates only to the
recycling of solid waste.)
VOC recovery potential from solvent
use categories and from industrial manu-
facturing applications should be reviewed.
In particular, the concentrations and
compositions of selected organic ex-
haust streams should be reviewed in
conjunction with individual companies
or industry associations. The proposed
regulations on VOC emission control and
the application of RACT will result in
energy savings (because of hydrocarbon
recovery), but it will also result in addi-
tional energy requirements to fabricate,
install, and operate add-on pollution con-
trol equipment. In some cases, the com-
pliance dates for VOC control regulations
should be delayed to allow continued
research and development of alternative
measures. In the surface coating indus-
try, for instance, the development of
low-solvent content surface coatings
could provide an inexpensive alternative
to costly add-on control devices.
Two additional recommendations ad-
dress the recovery of fuel from solid or-
ganic wastes and the recovery of
methane from landfills. The technical
and economic feasibility of recovering
fuel from solid organic wastes by pyrol-
ysis and the development of pyrolysis
facilities within highly industrialized
areas merit further investigation. Simi-
larly, a study is recommended to examine
the existing methane production, the
factors involved in optimizing methane
recovery, the energy recovery potential,
the socioeconomic impacts, and the
hazards of methane recovery.
4
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JohnJ. Yates, RajanK. Chaudhry, and James A. Deweyare with ETA Engineer-
ing, Inc., Westmont, IL 60559.
C. C. Lee is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "An Inventory of Used and By-Product Hydrocarbon
Streams, "f Order No. PB 82-221 565; Cost: $ 12.00, subject to change) will be
available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
1HJSGPO: 1982 — 559-092/0473
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