ILMA Compoundings - March 2021 - 8

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

DOE Releases Updated
Congressional Report on
Used Oil Re-refining

At the close of 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) Office of Fossil Energy issued a report, titled
" Used Oil Management and Beneficial Reuse Options to
Address Section 1: Energy Savings from Lubricating Oil
Public Law 115-345, " that includes recommendations for
increasing the beneficial reuse of used oils and lubricants. Beneficial reuse includes turning used motor oil
and other waste lubricants into base oils, fuel oils and
other commodity products.
The report provided Congress with information about the
current used oil industry status and stakeholder perspectives,
along with market challenges and opportunities.
In a statement, then-DOE Deputy Secretary Mark W.
Menezes said, " This report will help inform federal policies on
ways to continue to improve the reuse of used lubricating oil.
The goal is to transform waste into a renewed resource. "
The DOE states that the benefits of conserving, collecting
and recycling used oil include extending the life of U.S.
crude oil resources, curbing the volume of improperly
disposed-of oil, supporting jobs and providing consumers
with fuels and other petroleum-derived products.
The report also states that demand for higher-performing
lubricants will grow as technology in the automotive and
industrial sectors evolves. Out of the 2.47 billion gallons of
lubricating oil consumed in the U.S., 1.37 billion gallons
could have been collected and reused (2018 figure).

MARCH 2021

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STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
The Used Oil Refining Coalition (UORC) said that valuing
the used oil molecule based solely on its heating content is
an increasingly out-of-date approach to what could otherwise be a strategic advantage in better resource management.
Better resource management would lead to U.S. energy
independence and dominance.
The National Oil Recyclers Association (NORA) recommended that the federal government collect or facilitate an
effort to accurately quantify used oil generated and collected
regularly. It also expressed a desire to see the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) rethink its polychlorinated biphenyl contamination position to encourage used oil collection.
NORA also recommends that the federal government,
along with other stakeholders, work together to create standard messaging, identify current efforts related to used oil
and evaluate what can be enhanced. It warns that without
more enforcement and economic incentives for proper management of used oil, illegal or improper activity will occur.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) urges the federal
government to ensure the increased collection of all used oil,
including in hard-to-reach-and-regulate areas and markets.
API pointed out that the most significant environmental
benefit of a federal strategy for used oil management would
be a reduction in the amount of uncollected used oil, which
may be improperly disposed of.
According to the report, all stakeholders agreed on the
benefits of increased used oil collections, reduced improper
disposal, and the collection and publication of improved
and regularly updated industry data.
There was also agreement on a need for improved
methods for detecting and preventing used oil with toxic
constituents from complicating the recycling process.
Everyone agreed that the conservation and recycling of used
oil extends the life of our national crude oil resources. It
reduces the chance of soil and water contamination. It is
energy-efficient, supports direct and indirect jobs, generates
tax revenue and provides consumers with more choice.
The full report can be found on the DOE's website
at bit.ly/3p6lCLw.

http://www.bit.ly/3p6lCLw http://www.ILMA.ORG

ILMA Compoundings - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings - March 2021