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| Overview: | Off-site recyclers of hydraulic fluids process
waste fluid into re-refined usable products. The primary benefits of recycling hydraulic fluids
include reduction of the amount of waste disposed at a facility and the possible allowance of this
material to be managed under less stringent regulatory requirements. One facility, the Naval Air
Station in North Island CA, reported that they recycle 90% of the waste hydraulic fluid generated
on-site, leaving only 10% to be disposed as hazardous waste.
In order to implement an off-site recycling program successfully, the program costs must be less than the disposal costs. Numerous companies with varying charges and fees for waste fluid pickup perform off-site recycling of hydraulic fluids. Some recycling companies may charge to pick up hydraulic fluid while others will remove it free of charge. In addition, some recycling companies may reimburse facilities for their waste hydraulic fluid. Used oil is defined under 40 CFR 279.1 as "any oil that has been refined from crude oil, or any synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical and chemical impurities." Under the definition, hydraulic fluid can be managed in the same manner as used oil. Generators who are considering an off-site recycling program for used oil should refer to Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 279 "Standards for the Management of Used Oil" for specific regulatory guidance. If the off-site recycling program includes burning used oil for energy recovery, generators should pay particular attention to the provisions of 40 CFR 279.11, "Used Oil Specifications". Used oil to be burned for energy recovery which does not exceed the specifications for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, flash point, and total halogens is not subject to most requirements of 40 CFR Part 279. Table 1 at 40 CFR 279.11 provides the following limits:
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| Compliance Benefit: | Recycling of used oil may allow the
fluid to fall under the less stringent regulations of 40 CFR 279 as opposed to
the hazardous waste regulations in 40 CFR 260 through 268. In addition, under
40 CFR 261.5 generators that recycle their used oil and manage it under 40
CFR 279 do not have to count the used oil into their monthly totals of hazardous
waste generated. The decrease in the quantity of hazardous waste generated monthly
may help a facility reduce their generator status and lessen their regulatory burden
(i.e. recordkeeping, reporting, inspections, transportation, accumulation time, emergency
prevention and preparedness, emergency response) under RCRA, 40 CFR 262. Recycling
also helps facilities meet the requirements of waste reduction under RCRA, 40 CFR 262;
the Pollution Prevention Act (42 USC 13101-13109); and Executive Order (EO) 13148,
Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management.
EPA presumes that all used oils are recyclable and, therefore, must be managed in accordance with 40 CFR Part 279. If the used oil is to be disposed on-site or sent off-site for disposal, the generator must then, as with any other solid waste, determine if the used oil exhibits any hazardous characteristic. If the used oil to be disposed is determined to be a characteristically hazardous waste, it then must be managed in accordance with applicable requirements of 40 CFR Parts 260 through 266, 268, and 270. If the used oil to be disposed is determined to be a non-hazardous waste, it then would be managed in accordance with applicable requirements of 40 CFR 257 and 258. The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as general guidelines and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g., the amount of workload involved. |
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| Materials Compatibility: | Mixtures of certain hydraulic fluids may not be acceptable for recycling. Hydraulic fluid and used oil may be collected in the same container only if the materials are to be burned for energy recovery. If the used hydraulic fluid is to be recycled in any other manner than being burned for energy recovery, users should consult with the recycler for specific requirements. |
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| Safety and Health: | Care must be taken when handling hot waste oils.
Proper personal protective equipment is recommended. Special safety precautions should be
exercised when handling synthetic oils containing tricresyl phosphate, which is toxic by ingestion and skin absorption.
Consult your local industrial health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and
the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing this technology.
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| Benefits: |
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| Disadvantages: |
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| Economic Analysis: | Economics are usually favorable for off-site recycling of used oil. Specific economic analysis should be performed on a case-by-case basis since handling charges/reimbursements differ among used oil transporters, processors, and marketers. However, in general, cost savings should be realized due to the reduction of hazardous and/or non-hazardous waste disposal fees and future liability.
Based on communication with hydraulic fluid recyclers, the cost for off-site recycling of petroleum-based hydraulic fluid ranges from a reimbursement of $0.37 per gallon to a cost of $0.15 to $0.68 per gallon. These prices vary due to the quantity of hydraulic fluid generated at a site (higher volumes have lower prices per gallon). Recyclers of petroleum based hydraulic fluid may be found in the Yellow Pages listed under Oils-Waste. Assumptions:
Table 1. Annual Cost Comparison for Recycling or Disposal of Used Hydraulic Fluid
Economic Analysis Summary:
Click Here to view an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values. To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the Back arrow in the Tool Bar. |
| NSN/MSDS: | None identified.
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| Approving Authority: | Appropriate authority for making process
changes should always be sought and obtained prior to procuring or implementing any of the
technologies identified herein. |
| Points of Contact: | For more information |
| Vendors: |
This is not meant to be a complete list, as there may be
other suppliers of this type of equipment. Evergreen Environmental Services 6880 Smith Avenue Newark, CA 94560 Phone: (800) 972-5284 |
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Fleet Environmental Services LLC 75D York Ave. Randolph, MA 02368 Phone: (781) 815-1100 Fax: (781) 986-1782 Contact: Mr. Brian House, President & CEO Contact: Mr. Stephen Pozner, Director of Sales & Manager of Transportation & Disposal URL: http://www.fleetenvironmental.com |
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Clean Harbors (formerly Safety-Kleen) 1340 W. Lincoln St. Phoenix, AZ 85007-3420 Phone: (602) 258-6155 Service: Processor |
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| Related Links: |
None |
| Sources: | Mr. Ronald Jahns, Air Force Regional Environmental Office, Dallas, December 1999. Mr. Dale Fox, Air Force Regional Environmental Office, San Francisco, November 1999. DRMO, Imperial Beach, California, June 1997. Mr. Paul Sierra, Naval Aviation Depot, Naval Air Station, North Island, June 1997. |