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7.0 Disposal of Used/Waste oil

7.1 Composition
The typical composition of used lubricating oil (Oil Feed Stock)
Water 2 to 5%
Diesel 5 to 10%
Additives 5 to 15 %
Carbon Particles 1 to 5%
Light oils 10 to 12 %
Medium base oil 60 to 65%
Heavy gear oil 10 to 15 %
Asphalt 7 to 8%

7.2 The Petroleum oils do not get decomposed or biodegraded. It’s therefore essential
that used lubricating oils should be properly disposed off.

The importance of proper management of Used/Waste oil is essential to:

1. Protect the Environment

2. Protect against ill effects and the consequent-associated long-term liabilities.
3. Protect human health.
4. Economical / un-hazardous reuse of waste oil

Thus it is the subject of great National Importance and concern to all, to ensure proper
collection/ storage and safe disposal of Used/Waste oil.

7.3 Methods of disposal:

1. Use as fuel
2. Re-refine for producing lubricants

7.3.1 Use as fuel - disadvantages:

Burning Used/Waste oil or lightly processed Used/Waste oil as fuel in industrial

furnaces and boilers is an option that is easiest to practice but most detrimental to
environment. Even before investigating the combustion by-products for their
hazardous nature and effect on human health, consider the basic product of any
combustion reaction; Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ). Combustion of one gallon of
Used/Waste oil will produce 21.4 lb of CO2.

a). The high levels of contaminants including lead, arsenic and other toxic heavy
metals get carried away in the flue gases- polluting air.

b). The combustion products – flue gases contain high volumes of Sulphur die-oxide
SO2, Nitrous oxide Nox, Carbon mono oxide CO and others which are air pollutants.
The legislation and rules regards safe use of used lubricating oil, as fuel is therefore
limited due to above threat to environment.

c). - Uncontrolled burning of Used/Waste oils may result in significant levels of

hazardous emissions to the environment. This may expose humans, wildlife and
vegetation to harmful substances. The environmental impacts of burning Used/Waste
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oils will depend upon the concentration of hazardous contaminants, burner design,
emission control equipment, stack height etc.

7.3.2 Re-refine for producing lubricants:

Many common re-refining technologies, as mentioned below, have been developed

over time, some of them use hazardous Acids (sulphuric acid) or hydrogen gas, or
chemicals such as propane or Butyl & isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen etc., which
produce acidic sludge as residue.

Non Environment friendly:

1. Acid Clay Process - uses sulphuric acid- Results in Acid Sludge

2. Institut Français Du Pétrole (IFP) process – uses propane & acid - Results in
Acid Sludge

3. Kinetics Technology International (KTI) – Hydrogen added hence not useful

4. Bertlesville Research Centre Process – uses butyl and isopropyl alcohol as

solvent – results in acidic sludge.

Environment friendly:
1. High Vacuum Molecular Distillation - acid free process – uses natural
polymer-safe & environment friendly

M/s. Al Abdulla Petroleum Co. Ltd., Mauritius proposes to use the safe and
environment friendly method of re-refining by using “High Vacuum Molecular
Distillation Process” - Natural Polymer as flocculating agent and Activated clay
(Acid free used lube oil reclamation Plant).

This technology has been approved and being offered by National Research and
Development Corporation (A Govt. of India Enterprise) - Annexure “C”.

A similar plant manufactured by the same supplier is already operational at M/s.

Prime Lubricants, Multan, Pakistan. A Sample of Re-refined oil at that plant was
tested and found acceptable in line with international standards. A copy of the Test
report by M/s. Analysts, Inc., Canada (an ISO 9002 certified test house) - Annexure
“D”.