Oil collection is not a new concept, there are many other companies that collect used motor oil including the Rose Foundation in Durban and our company which is dedicated to oil recycling in South Africa to ensure that our local oils can be disposed of responsibly as far as a possible. Oil has become a part of our lives, we used to cook with, to fuel our cars and to ensure our industrial facilities can function, and unfortunately, we’ve seen the damage large oil spills can do to marine life and fishing industries. Many people think that that is the only instance where oil is dangerous but not many people realise the importance of disposing of used oil that we use in our daily lives in a safe and reliable manner.
Oil that we cook with, oil that we use in our vehicles as hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid and motor oil, as well as industrial oils and such, can all be recycled by us at reasonable rates. You might be wondering why your seemingly small or large amount of oil can impact the environment. We’re going to explain why you should recycle your oil and dispose of it properly and what it’s beneficial to do so.
So, oil collection and waste oil removal, why is it so important? Well, consider how often your actions impact the world’s carbon footprint. When you’re buying from a store and you use a reusable bag or when you recycle paper you positively impact our planet. So why are we so careless when it comes to oil by-products? Well, many people do not realise that the oil in their cars can be recycled, this means that it’s often disposed of wrongly and in hazardous ways. These toxic oils aren’t suitable to be plainly thrown into the trash. If they are they could end up in landfills where they pollute water channels, bays and oceans as well as the ground. they also contribute to soil erosion which damages our natural fertile land. It is against the law to dispose of toxic oils carelessly which means that if you dispose of your own oils you need to make sure it is either recycled or properly disposed of.
If you are planning on recycling your oil at home make sure that you do not spill it and place it in a leak-proof container. After an oil change, you should recycle your motor oil since it does not necessarily get oil, it just gets dirty. It can be cleaned and refined and used again. Refined and reused oil can be put to use as lubricating and hydraulic oil. Used motor oil can be hazardous because it picks up contaminants when it is used in engines and transmissions. These hazardous contaminants can contain lead, chromium, dioxins, polycyclic aromatics, benzene and even cadmium, if it isn’t disposed of properly it can harm humans, animals as well as plants, fish and shellfish so taking care of your oil properly not only gives you piece of mind but helps protect the environment around you.
Pouring used oil down drains can lead to it being sent to streams, lakes or rivers. The oil does not absorb or dissolve once it is in the drain, it’s important to make sure you never pour oil down drains either since just 1 litre of oil can contaminate 1 million litres of water.
Harmful oil also disrupts the food chain which can take a long time to recover and can coat and kill the organisms in the ground which are necessary to maintain the environmental balance. Oil spills or many people disposing of oil in a negligent way can disrupt water supply and make it undrinkable.
If you run a company that disposes of oil then it’s even more integral that you get oil insurance and dispose of the oil responsibly since it is a criminal offense to illegally dispose of oil.
You should recycle oil for many reasons, some stated above and others including the fact that oil is slow to degrade and is a major source of oil contamination of waterways and water sources. Another reason is that contaminated oil is not a good sign for your car. Your used oil can contain metal particles, water and dirt that makes it less effective in protecting the mechanics of your vehicles. When you get your oil changed, you can take out your dirty oil and replace it with new, clean oil. When your oil is recycled it goes through a process to remove all of these contaminants. It gets filtered, demineralized, de-asphalted and other process depending on what type of oil it is and what the best way to treat it is.
The same customers and businesses that use regular oil also can use re-refined oil, since re-refining simply re-processes used oil into new, high-quality lubricating oil. In some case, recycled oil can outperform virgin oil.
So now that we’ve equipped you with all the information you might need to know about why used oil recycling, we’re happy to offer our help with any of your oil disposal and oil waste needs at reasonable rates with professional staff. You can rest easy knowing that you’re making a conscience and positive contribution to the protection of the environment and keeping your car in good health.
