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Implementation of BRS Conventions for managing hazardous chemicals and wastes

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Module 5c

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Management of waste oils

What are waste oils?

Importance of the environmentally sound management of waste oils:

    • Potential for direct re-use, reprocessing, reclamation and regeneration;
    • If not properly handled, treated or disposed, can cause detrimental effects on human health and the environment.

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Waste oils

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Basel Convention Classification:

    • Also referred as “used oils” or “spent oils”;
    • Category Y8 in Annex I to the Basel Convention;
    • Classified as A3020 in Annex VIII;
    • Generally contain hazard characteristics H11, H12 and H13 in Annex III.

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Collection

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Methods for collection:

    • Assess existing collection practices and conditions
    • By commercial, private collectors and/or recyclers directly from the “point-of-generation”
    • For non-industrial waste oils, for example, by the user to a drop-off location
      • Retail stores
      • Service stations
      • Recycling centres
      • Oil banks

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Storage

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    • When above threshold quantities (if set) license, permit or authorization;
    • Tanks and containers regular inspection and maintenance;
    • Secondary containment systems for single storage tanks capacity;
    • Mixing waste oils should be prohibited.

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Transport

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    • When above a certain amount annual amount per license, permit or authorization;
    • United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations packing, marketing, labelling, placarding;
    • Class 9, UN 3082, waste environmentally hazardous substance, liquid, N.O.S;
    • Emergency response information and hazardous waste tracking documents;
    • Spill contain release and notify local emergency authorities.

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Transboundary movement

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Subject to the Basel Convention control procedure, which should be:

    • Reduced to a minimum;
    • Consistent with environmentally sound management of the wastes;
    • Conducted in a way which will protect human health and the environment.

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Environmentally-sound waste management

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    • Only treated in properly licensed/permitted/authorised facilities
    • Manage in accordance with waste management hierarchy, priority to options with best overall environmental outcome
    • Waste oils for regeneration must have low POP content (PCDD/PCDF, PCB, chlorinated additives)
    • Recommended as preferable for regeneration: engine oils without chlorine, hydraulic oils without chlorine, non-chlorinated mineral diathermic oils
    • Use of waste oil as fuel – carefully consider emissions to air and disposal of residual wastes
    • Quality assurance system in place + performance standards can be set
    • Open burning of waste = inadvertent source of POPs under Stockholm Convention, should be banned.

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Environmentally-sound waste management

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When using waste oil as fuel:

    • Quality assurance system to guarantee the characteristics of the waste produced;
    • Performance standards in order to avoid equipment failures or higher emissions;
    • Waste oil specifications to describe quality or specify maximum level of contaminants (e.g. see Table 1).
    • Properly controlled co-processing of waste oil in cement kilns;
    • Use of waste oils for domestic uses should be discouraged.

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Environmentally-sound waste management

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    • Extender Producer Responsibility (EPR) covering waste oils.
    • Certification and Auditing Systems:
      • Environmental management systems (EMS);
      • Non-standardized systems.

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Identifying reuse and recycling options

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Criteria that needs to be considered:

    • Extent to which used oil can be treated;
    • Potential harm to human health and the environment;
    • Economic balance and market opportunities;
    • Transport requirement/costs;
    • Location of treatment facilities;
    • Processing of hazardous waste contaminants and by-products of the process;
    • Worker safety.

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Stockholm Convention

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Article 5 / Annex C provisions

    • Each Party shall take measures to reduce the total releases derived from anthropogenic sources of each of the chemicals listed in Annex C with the goal of their continuing minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination.
    • Waste oil refineries are listed in Annex C, Part III, as source with potential to form and release chemicals listed in Annex C.
    • Waste oils (or used oils) are defined as any petroleum-based, synthetic, or plant- or animal-based oil that has been used.
    • Two large sources: industrial waste oils, and vegetable and animal waste oils.
    • Among industrial waste oils, three main oil streams: industrial oil (e.g. hydraulic oil, engine lubricant, cutting oil); garage or workshop oil; and transformer oil.

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Waste oil refineries

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UPOPs formation and release

    • No evidence that PCDD/PCDF or PCB are newly formed in waste oil refineries.
    • PCDD/PCDF and PCB released from waste oil refineries or waste oil handling and management plants are from the industrial, intentional production of PCB or chlorobenzenes that are present in waste oils either by contamination in the synthesis process (of these chemicals) or have become contaminated during the use phase or earlier recycling processes.
    • Waste oil collected will end up in other processes: waste incineration, power plants, domestic heating and cooking, cement kilns, brickworks, asphalt mixing stations, or transportation.
    • Other sources from diffuse emissions during storage and handling, spills, improper disposal.

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Treatment of waste oils

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BAT BEP Guidance

    • Two main options for the treatment of waste oils:
      • Recovery of waste oil to be used as a fuel or reductant. This includes treatments such as thermal cracking and gasification, but also milder treatments of waste oils;
      • Treatment of waste oil to reconvert it into a material that can be reused or used as a base oil to produce lubricants (re-refining).
    • Waste oils to be preferred for regeneration:
      • Engine oils without chlorine;
      • Hydraulic oils without chlorine;
      • Non-chlorinated mineral diathermic oils.
    • Treatments of waste oils other than re-refining:
      • Different burning applications, distinguishable partly by the temperature at which they burn, and partly by the control technology they use to reduce environmental effects.
      • Before use as fuel, several cleaning or transformation treatments may be needed in order to achieve the requirements for further use.

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BAT BEP for waste oil refineries

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Conclusions

    • Waste oils have been found to be contaminated with PCDD, PCDF and PCB;
    • At present there is no available evidence that PCDD, PCDF and PCB are newly formed in waste oil refineries;
    • Waste oil refineries are a distribution source of chemicals listed in Annex C rather than a formation source;
    • The waste oil treated in waste oil refineries must have a low content of PCDD, PCDF, PCB and chlorinated additives.

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Resources: Stockholm Convention

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Resources: Basel Convention Waste Oils Factsheet

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    • Classification
    • Collection
    • Storage
    • Transport
    • Transboundary Movement
    • Environmentally Sound Management
    • Extended Producer Responsibility
    • Certification and Auditing Systems

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Other Basel Convention resources:

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    • Technical Guidelines on Waste Oils from Petroleum Origins and Sources (1994);
    • Technical Guidelines on Used Oil Re-Refining or Other Re-Uses of Previously Used Oil (1995);
    • The United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations;
    • Manual for the Implementation of the Basel Convention.
    • Guide to the Control System

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National reporting

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    • Frequency: annually.
    • Format: revised questionnaire on “transmission of information” and a manual for the questionnaire, which can be found on the Convention website.
    • Procedures and Processes of the Secretariat:
      • Electronic Reporting System for use by Parties to submit annual national reports (Focal Point has access information)
      • The Secretariat conducts quality control of the data and information, and seeks for clarification when necessary.

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National reporting

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    • Previously submitted National reports available online
      • http://www.basel.int/Countries/NationalReporting/NationalReports/BC2019Reports/tabid/8645/Default.aspx
    • Resources to support national reporting: Secretariat assistance; format and manuals for national reporting; procedures website page.

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NATIONAL REPORTING

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Article 13(3) sets out reporting obligations for Parties

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Basel Convention National Reporting

National reporting

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Other resources

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    • Guidance on inventory of

hazardous wastes

    • Guidance on national reporting
    • Benchmark report
    • Waste without Frontiers II

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Thank you

UNEP-Norway Partnership

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United Nations Avenue, Gigiri

PO Box 30552 – 00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya

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www.unep.org