Recycling and Re-Refining Used Engine Oil for Reuse

Motor oil is one of the most common products that are re-refined. Motor oil has a life span of about three to five thousand miles, and after that, the heat from the engine begins breaking down the oil. Re-refining this oil essentially cleans and restores the oil to its original state, making it usable as motor oil and other lubricants. 

One of the biggest contaminants in used oil is water. The water is a result of the oil and additive breakdown that happens in the engine, and it has to be removed from the oil. In many cases, old oil can have as much as five to seven percent water in the oil when the refinery receives it. 

Originally, filtering oil through clay and other products was the only way to clean it, but modern re-refining technology allows the oil to be purified and includes a process that replenishes hydrogen on a cellular level. The hydrocarbons in the oil absorb the hydrogen, refreshing them and restoring the properties of the original oil after refining. 

Once the oil is clean, the refinery can add the appropriate additives to it and the oil can go back on shelves for use in cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Automotive lubricants such as automotive transmission fluid and hydraulic fluids can also be made from this oil. 

Re-refining oil is not the only way to recycle oil. Often, used oil is distilled into diesel fuel or is sometimes burned in commercial boilers at power plants to generate electricity. Using old oil in these boilers saves a substantial amount of money and eliminates the need to use newly refined oil as a fuel, decreasing the depletion of non-replenishable resources.

Commercial automotive shops may have a large amount of oil on-site from the oil changes they perform, and many of these shops also take in oil from the public. The oil often comes from people that change the oil in their car at home. If the oil is brought to the auto shop, and if it is all oil and not mixed with other chemicals, the shop will often take the oil for free. 

Large industrial facilities often use oil in their production as well, and collecting the oil in large storage tanks is a common practice. The oil may need some processing before it can be reused, but this oil is a viable product that has many other uses. 

Oil collection services will pick up many different products, so check with a company in your area, but recyclers commonly accept all oil, hydraulic fluid, and transmission fluid. The oil collection service can pump your tank out, or they can provide drums for you to fill with the oil and then pick up the drums.

For small auto shops, several drums may be the best solution, but if your company is recycling large amounts of oil, you may want to consider installing a storage system for your waste oil.

At Denver Oil, we collect used oil, transmission fluid, and hydraulic fluid. We also collect antifreeze and other products that you may need to dispose of. We also offer high-quality recycled oil for burner fuel to heat your home or business. Give us a call today so we can discuss your oil collection needs in the Denver Metro area.