Lubricating oil is an important resource and a petroleum base product. Mismanagement of waste lube oil is a serious environmental problem. Waste oils are considered hazardous waste and have some dangerous properties. One litre of waste oil can contaminate one million litres of water. Waste oils in rivers, lakes and streams threaten aquatic life. Also, if waste oils are left on the ground, they can severely contaminate soil.
Waste oil and its impurities pose potential threats to the environment, whether the waste oil is indiscriminately dumped on land or into water courses or burned. Disposing of used oil the wrong way has the potential to pollute the environment. And particulates produced by burning used oil can aggravate and cause respiratory problems, and can result in the loss of lung function, loss of ability to resist infection, and death. We need to recover and recycle as much of it as possible.
Almost all types of waste oil have the potential to be recycled safely, saving a precious non-renewable source and at the same time minimizing environmental pollution.