1.  What is Used Oil?

Used oil is any oil – synthetic or refined crude – that has been contaminated by physical or chemical impurities as a result of use, and therefore can no longer be used for its intended purpose.

2.  Where Does it Come From?

Service stations, businesses, industrial machines, fleet crankcases, or anyone who changes their own oil can generate used oil.

3.  What Happens to Used Oil?

Collection of used oil can be facilitated by registered companies with the necessary equipment and insurance coverage.

4.  Does Used Oil Have Value?

In most cases, yes! The value varies and trends with crude prices.

5.  What Happens to Collected Used Oil?

Most commonly it gets blended with like materials into a fuel source; it could also go to a used oil refinery, where it can be refined back into various base oils.

6.  Is Used Oil Monitored in the State of Texas?

Yes, especially for industrial generators.

General Guidelines for Used Oil

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, used oil generators must comply with the following requirements:

• Storing used oil in containers of good condition, labeled “used oil”
• Responding to any release of oil with proper management, including immediately stopping, containing, and cleaning up the release
• Maintaining records on the recycling or disposal of used oil
• Registering as used oil transporters, IF:
  • More than 55 gallons of used oil are transported at a time
  • They’re transporting outside of their, or their employee’s, vehicle
  • They are transporting the oil somewhere besides a used oil collection center or aggregation point