Fleets Grapple With Disposal of Used Oil

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typical Class 8 truck generates about 10 gallons of used oil at every oil change. Assuming 100,000 miles driven a year and oil changes every 25,000 miles, it does not take long for most fleets to build up a lot of spent lubricant.

Many fleets are accumulating used oil even faster now, as post-October 2002 engines push more contaminants into oil, and motor carriers back off on extended drain intervals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers truck fleets to be waste-oil “generators” with a greater responsibility for how their used oil is disposed of than does your typical back-yard oil changer.

“If it’s improperly disposed of, the fleet is liable,” said Mark Betner, heavy-duty product manager for Citgo Petroleum Corp. “If they have it hauled away, they need to go with a licensed, reputable company that will indemnify them.”

For the full story, see the May 3 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.