1. A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING WASTE OIL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.
- Author
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Kapustina, V. and Horttanainen, M.
- Abstract
End-of-life lubricants, which are generated, for example, after being used in machines, engines, transmissions, and turbines, are classified as waste oils. Waste oils are considered hazardous waste, as being extremely dangerous for groundwater and soil. At the same time, waste oils have value for being used as fuel or being regenerated to base oil. At present, waste oils are a subject to legal collection and recycling in many member states of the European Union, United States, Australia, Canada, etc. Different governmental support schemes and legislative frameworks exist in order to organize economically feasible and environmentally sound waste oil management systems. However, creation of the environmentally sustainable waste oil management systems is still on its first stage in some countries. Existing waste oil management systems were reviewed in this study. The focus of the study was on main actors, subsidies, governmental support, treatment methods, amount of waste oils generated and collection rate. The objective of this review was to understand how the system is organized in countries with high collection rates and waste oils regeneration is prioritized. Where available information exists, the influence of the historical background on the present state of the waste oil management system was analyzed and considered for possible improvement of the system. The information was collected from scientific articles, existing databases and reports. The study is related to the previous research about environmental performance and system analysis of waste oil management systems in Finland, Saint-Petersburg and the Leningrad region performed by the authors. In this study, two models of waste oils management system were identified. The main elements of the first model, which was applied in most of the EU member states, were regulator body and lubricant oil fees on the new lubricant oil sold. In the model, there were three main variables: the extent of involvement of the state administration (high in France, low in Spain), subsidizing rules (subsidies only for the collectors as in Finland and France, or for the collectors and waste oil processors as in Italy), and the amount of fees and subsidies (lubricant oil fee in Finland is 57.5 euros/t; the amount of subsidy is based on the profitability of transportation operations in Finland, and in France it is based on the amount of waste oils collected). Alternatively to that model, a market-economy-based model is known and implemented, for example, in Germany and the United Kingdom. In this model, the market value of the waste oils played an important role for waste oils to be collected for incineration or re-refining. In the long term, proper waste oils management needs transparent legislation on safe collection transportation of waste oil. Moreover, the definition of safe treatment facilities should be introduced, since treatment and utilization of waste oil in certified recycling plants is important. Promotion of proper waste oils collection by small waste oil generators should be enhanced. Collection points for waste oils should be available and easily accessible. Fees on lubricant oil facilitate higher collection rates, what helps to decrease waste oils disposal fees and enabling collectors to pay waste oils generators. The increase of disposal fee could escalate the amount of waste oils managed by generators, what increases the risk of illegal waste oil dumping. The competition on the waste oil market plays an important role in waste oils collection. Where the highest priority was given to re-refining, regeneration rate was higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016