Used oil - Vermont

Scope

Under many circumstances, used oil is a hazardous waste and must be managed as such if it is to be disposed of. However, EPA’s used oil management program allows the handling of used oil under less stringent standards as long as it is managed according to the regulations and the oil is ultimately sent to a recycler, recycled, or burned for fuel.

Regulatory citations

• VHW\MR Subchapter 8, sec. 7-801 to 7-813

Key definitions

• Used oil: Any petroleum product that has been refined from crude oil (in whole or in part), or any synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. Used oil is a free-flowing liquid at standard temperature and pressure and has a flash point of greater than 100 degrees (F). Used oil includes oils used as lubricants, heat transfer fluids, hydraulic fluids, and for other similar uses, but does not include materials derived from crude or synthetic oils that are fuels (e.g., gasoline, jet fuel and diesel fuel), cleaning agents or solvents (e.g., naphtha or mineral spirits). These materials are subject to regulation under subchapters 1 through 7, as applicable.
• Used oil collection facility: Any facility or site that accepts/aggregates and stores used oil collected from used oil generators who bring used oil to the collection facility in shipments of no more than 55 gallons. Used oil collection facilities may also accept used oil from do-it-yourselfers.
• Used oil fuel: Used oil shown to meet the Table 1 specifications in accordance with 7-812(c) and that is burned for energy recovery.
• Used oil transporter: Any person who transports used oil, any person who collects used oil from more than one generator and transports the collected oil, and owners and operators of used oil transfer facilities.

Summary of requirements

Vermont state requirements regarding used oil management include some regulatory information beyond the federal requirements. A summary of the additional requirements includes the following:

• Before a marketer directs the first shipment of off-specification used oil to a burner, the marketer must obtain a one-time written and signed notice from the burner certifying that: (A) The burner has notified EPA stating the location and general description of used oil management activities; and (B) The burner will burn the off-specification used oil only in an industrial furnace or boiler identified in 40 CFR 279.61(a).
• The following uses or activities are prohibited:
  1. The mixing of hazardous wastes with used oil, with the exception that used oil may be mixed with waste that is hazardous solely because it exhibits the characteristic of ignitability (e.g., ignitable-only mineral spirits), provided that the resultant mixture does not exhibit the characteristic of ignitability;
  2. The use of any used oil for road oiling or dust suppression;
  3. Burning off-specification used oil in small fuel burning equipment;
  4. Burning used oil for firefighter training;
  5. Burning used oil for energy recovery in any food product processing unless approved by the Secretary in writing;
  6. The sale or use of vaporizing used-oil burning equipment;
  7. Management of used oil in anything other than containers or tanks as specified under 7-806 unless the units are subject to regulation under subchapter 5 of the used oil regulations;
  8. The knowing disposal of used oil in a solid waste landfill; and
  9. The release of hazardous material (including used oil) into the surface or groundwater, or onto the land of the state.