General Facts

• Used motor oil can contain toxic substances such as benzene, lead, zinc, and cadmium.
• The oil from a single oil change (1 gallon) can ruin the taste of a million gallons of drinking water (1 part per million), the supply of 50 people for one year.
• One pint of oil can produce a slick of approximately one acre on the surface of water.
• Films of oil on the surface of water prevent the replenishment of dissolved oxygen, impair photosynthetic processes, and block sunlight.
• Crankcase oil accounts for more than 40 percent of total oil pollution of the nation's harbors and waterways.
• Oil dumped on land reduces soil productivity.
• Concentrations of 50 to 100 parts per million (ppm) of used oil can foul sewage treatment processes.
• Countries all over the world, including South Africa, Israel, Pakistan, India, Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy, and New Zealand, re-refine a larger fraction of used oil into lubricating oil base stocks than the U.S.
• Of the over 1.3 billion gallons of used oils (industrial and lubricating) generated each year in the US, less than 60 percent is recycled.

California General Statistics

• 1 in 4 households have a do-it-yourself (DIY) oil changer.
• Each year about 40 million gallons of automotive oil is sold to the public.
• There are 2,700 state certified collection centers and 70 curbside collection programs, which accept used oil for free.
• About 82 million gallons of used oils were recycled in 1998.
• Over 20 million gallons of used motor oil is disposed each year in an unknown manner in California by do-it-yourself oil changers. This equates to nearly 1 gallon of DIY used oil improperly disposed of for every adult.

Rerefined Oil Facts

• 2.5 quarts of rerefined lubricating oil can be produced from one gallon of used oil.
• Rerefining is energy efficientless energy is required to produce a gallon of rerefined base stock than to produce a base stock from crude oil.
• Rerefined oil prices are competitive to equivalent virgin oil products.
• Mercedes Benz installs rerefined oil in every new car manufactured.
• Rerefined oils meeting the American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards meet warranty requirements for new automobiles.
• The California State Department of General Services will be annually purchasing approximately 200,000 gallons of lubricants with rerefined oil base stock for 1999 and 2000.
• The United States Postal Service and National Park Service use rerefined oil in their vehicle fleets.
• If the oil generated by all do-it-yourself oil changers in America were collected and rerefined, it would provide enough motor oil for over 50 million cars each year. This would reduce our dependence on imported oil, help reduce our trade deficit, and provide jobs
• By using rerefined oil, the recycling loop is closed.
• The Department of Defense compared making lube oils from virgin base oil and used oil and determined using used oil was both more environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
• The US Conference of Mayors has endorsed rerefined oil.
• More on rerefined oil...