Science
By JULIE DUTTON

IMPLEMENTATION of the Used Oil Recovery Program in August 1978 offered do-it-yourself oil changers an ecological option for disposal of the used oil. Now, instead of dumping used oil down the drain (fouling treatment plant works), pitching it in an incinerator (risking hazardous emissions or explosions) or burying it (possibly contaminating soil or water), the precious resource can be recycled.

The Institute of Natural Resources (INR) administers the program which was formalized in September 1979 by the Waste Oil Recovery Act (P.A. 81-379, H.B. 1900). In essence a policy statement, the act acknowledges the value of waste oil as a resource and encourages its recycling but provides no funds for such a program. Instead, money for the petroleum reclamation project comes from the federal Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) of December 1975. EPCA expires at the end of 1980, and "nobody knows for sure what's going to happen then," said Bob Lindquist, manager of the Used Oil Recovery Program at INR. In the meantime, the INR will continue to work on reclaiming the 12 million gallons of crankcase oil disposed of annually by Illinois vehicle owners and some of the approximate 88 million gallons of industrial oil sold yearly.

Teaming up with such community service groups as the League of Women Voters, Audubon and 4H, the INR sets up collection centers at local service stations. Presently such centers are found mainly in larger communities but Lindquist said INR is "trying to get something set up everywhere . . . eventually we intend to expand to cover the whole state." Information is then distributed via newsletters, posters and public service announcements. Although funds to publicize the program are very limited, Lindquist said, "Ideally, everyone who changes his own oil will learn about it."

The hazards of used oil are not fully determined. Only recently has research begun to probe oil toxicology and chemical carcinogenesis, uncovering the presence of heavy metals as well as PCBs and other car cinogenic chemicals in used oil. Depending on the blend, some oils can be about 20 percent chemical additives.

Waste oil donors receive no reimbursement for their contributions. However, the collecting service station negotiates the selling price of the used oil — usually about 5 cents a gallon — with re-refiners and reprocessors. Motor Oils Refining Company in McCook and Central Refining Company in Springfield do re-refining whereby the oil is restored to a fine quailty four or five other operators do reprocessing, which results in a less pure grade of oil than the re-refined.

Re-refined oil represents a significant savings. The Cook County Highway Department has purchased 100 55-gallon drums of re-refined oil. The cost: $1.56/gallon re-refined oil versus $2.86/gallon virgin oil. After about six weeks of use, no problems had occured. Ned Woods, administrative assistant for the department, said, "We like what we purchased. ... I intend to talk to the county purchaser and recommend it."

Last year's lowest bid for supplying oil to the state vehicle fleet was based on using recycled oil. But because the bidder could provide only 55-gallon drums, and the state needed its oil in quart containers as well, the state had to contract with the next lowest bidder at a cost difference of approximately $5,700. The purchase agreement for the re-refined petroleum would have stipulated that the used oil be returned to the re-refiner.

Will the state purchase re-refined oil this year? "We hope so," said Nick Hall in the purchasing department at INR. He said some thought has been given to a split bid: separating the purchase of virgin oil in quarts from re-refined oil in drums. Hall knows of no one offering re-refined oil in quarts and speculated that because re-refined products must be labeled as such, there is a negative connotation that cripples their market competitiveness. According to provisions of the Waste Oil Recovery Act, the state will adopt the Federal Trade Commission's regulations for labeling of re-refined oil products, once they are established. The FTC labeling requirements are pending results of oil tests by the National Bureau of Standards.

More information about the used oil recovery program is available from the Institute of Natural Resources, 217-785-2800.

This column will report policy developments concerning science and technology in Illinois. Support for this column is provided in part by a National Science Foundation grant to the Illinois Legislative Council Science Unit, where Julie Button is a science intern.

8/February 1980/Illinois Issues