Raising Environmental Awareness-Used Oil Recycling

  • Published
  • By 17th Civil Engineer Squadron Asset Manager
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  How can I help manage waste?

Citizens in every community, including schools, businesses, and local governments must work together to reduce and better manage the waste that we produce on a daily basis. The necessary resources must be provided to educate the public on the solid and hazardous waste issues that we have at the local, state and national level. The mismanagement of environmental issues is great and the awareness of these problems must be addressed.

One of the most commonly mishandled issues having a major impact on the environment is the improper disposal of used oil. Improper handling of used motor oil is a serious, but little-recognized, growing environmental problem.

Every year, privately owned automobiles and light trucks generate over 300 million gallons of used crankcase oils. The majority of this oil is generated by individual consumers "do-it-yourselves," (or DIYs) who change their own oil. Do the math. If the average vehicle uses five quarts of oil per oil filter change; figure the amount of oil that will need to be disposed off just for one vehicle if the oil is changed every 3,000 miles or four times per year.

All automotive oils can be recycled safely and efficiently. Proper recycling of oil not only prevents environmental pollution, but can save energy. Unfortunately, most DIY used oil is frequently mishandled. Some oil is emptied into sewers, disrupting treatment plants or going directly into our waterways. More of it is dumped directly onto the ground to kill weeds or is used to suppress dust on dirt roads. Millions of gallons are thrown into the trash annually, often ending up in landfills. Oil in landfills can contaminate ground and surface water. It is estimated that only 10 percent of used oil is properly collected and sent off for recycling. This mismanage-ment causes needless damage to streams, ground water, lakes, and the oceans, and wastes a valuable nonrenewable resource, causing us to be more dependent on foreign imports of oil.

Some studies indicate that sewage treatment plants discharge almost twice as much oil into coastal waters as do tanker accidents. This amount is reportedly 15 million gallons per year versus 7.5 million gallons from accidents. A major source of this pollution is dumping of oil by people into storm drains and sewers. More than 40 percent of the water quality trouble calls received in the Seattle, Wash., area are related to used oil and other wastes dumped down storm drains, contaminating water bodies.

Within Tom Green County and the City of San Angelo, the mismanagement of used motor oil is a serious, little-recognized environmental problem, but it does not have to be. Used oil recycling is alive and well and is an option available for civilians and military members. The Auto Hobby shop here will accept used oil and Antifreeze. There are also locations off base to recycle used oil.

So where can you dispose of used oil and other auto related materials like oil filters, and batteries off base? You can take these products to the San Angelo Friends of the Environment Recycling Center located at 702 Warehouse Road, San Angelo, TX 76903. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

To solve this used oil problem, we must all work together to stop careless, destructive practices and make sure that oil is properly recycled. Dealing with the millions of user point sources involved demands a bottom-up rather than a top-down, approach. Improving used oil management is one the many opportunities available to us all to help solve a major environmental problem.