Engine oil: A lubricant that is well-advertised, popularly known, and commonly found in every household these days! Whether you have a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, you need engine oil. There are various options available in the market for you to choose from.
Studies hint that the global engine oil industry is worth a huge $20 billion. America has a contribution of nearly $3 billion in that big amount. So, it’s clear we, as a country, really like to use engine oil. Also, this hints at the fact that we have more discarded engine oil than most other countries.
On an average, an American household lets go of 40lbs worth of motor oil every year. This is used motor oil. Most people don’t even think twice before flushing it down the toilet or dumping it elsewhere, however, motor oil comes with heavy environmental costs.
Disposing of it into your sewage is a reckless thing to do. Alternatively, you could send the barrel of used motor oil to your nearest auto workshop. However, how do they discard it? Do you know?
Is it even essential to discard motor oil? Can it not be reused? If so, can you refurbish it at the comfort of your home? And how?
And why, to begin with, you need to worry so much about recycling engine oil?
Today, in this article, we tell you all you need to know. However, let us first begin with the basics.
Table of Contents
What is Engine Oil
Engine oil, also known as the lube or motor oil, is a by-product of petroleum refining. At its core, engine lube is a mineral oil. This mineral oil is mixed with certain additives, detergents, etc. to improve its efficiency.
Depending upon the ratio in which the mineral oil gets mixed with the catalysts, the chemical composition between two different mineral oils can differ significantly. This, in turn, also makes significant changes in their physical as well as chemical properties.
The primary function of all sorts of engine oil is to reduce friction between different moving engine parts. Inside the engine, there is a lot of movement that needs to happen. For combustion to work out, certain parts need to keep stirring and colliding. However, these are metallic parts, and so not only can they develop friction, but they can also develop too much heat, and they can both lead to a breakdown.
Engine oils keep the machinery cool and running smoothly.
Types of Engine Oil
There are three types of engine oil that you can choose from: Natural or conventional oil, semi-synthetic, and synthetic oil.
As their names suggest, the composition accommodates more artificial pigments in the ascending order.
Natural oil is mostly just the mineral oil that gets processed out when you filter petroleum. This oil has a lower ignition point, is more viscous, and lesser fluid than its contemporaries.
Semi-synthetic engine oil sees the best of both worlds as it blends natural oil and additives in nearly equal proportions. Since natural oil is very thick and heats up rather fast, it doesn’t serve as a very good lubricant or coolant. Semi-synthetic engine oil works better in both the departments. So, nowadays, even the natural oil manufacturing companies have moved towards a more semi-synthetic approach in their products.
Artificial engine oil or synthetic oil is heavy on additives. There is only 20-25% of mineral oil in its constituent assembly. The rest is alkanes, esters, and hydrocarbons that have been specially developed to suit your engine.
Naturally, this is the best choice for your vehicle. However, is it the best choice for the environment? We know it’s a long-sighted approach to be environment-conscious but our generations ahead will depend on it.
So, we must weigh in the environmental costs too.
Mineral oil that forms the core of all engine oils can be decomposed into simpler and harmless bits. However, that’s a lengthy process.
We could add some catalysts to speed up the process; for instance, banana peels and raisin act as great decomposers to mineral oil.
However, as we go for more synthetic-based oils, the hydrocarbons present in them further elongate the process. Lately, the manufacturing onus has shifted to drafting chemicals that not just keep your engine healthy but also don’t make the environment ill. We are a long way from that break-through, however, certain esters present in synthetic oils can speed up the decomposition process.
Regardless of the oil grade, the decomposition takes minimum 3 months, and then too, it takes nearly 5 years for motor oil to be fully reduced to something harmless.
That’s a long time for it to be completely gone! In that span, there are various possibilities. Possibilities of it getting consumed by unsuspecting animals or children! Possibilities of it polluting the land or water irreversibly!
Why does it pollute the environment? Let us further dig into this matter.
How is Used Engine Oil Different from Fresh Engine Oil
If you thought your used engine oil is in no way, shape, or form different from your fresh engine oil, then you’re mistaken!
From the very looks of both the samples, one could tell the difference.
To begin with, the fresher engine oil will always have a lighter color. The more you use engine oil, the darker it gets!
Please note that the color alone must not be taken as a singular judge of whether the oil needs to be replaced. It is natural for motor oil to change its color from amber to brown over the course of its usage.
So, what causes this color shift?
The repeated heating is a primary factory! Moreover, the engine of your car is an over-all hot place, so what this means is that anything inside it is bound to go through rigorous combustion. This will lead to parts breaking off, changing their physical properties, and mixing with one another more easily than they ordinarily would in room temperature.
Over the course of its stay inside your car’s engine, the engine oil mixes with gasoline/diesel/petrol (whatever car fuel you have put). Not just the fuel, the metal shavings that get chipped off inside the engine also mix into the fluids. This mixture is used engine oil. At the oldest, the engine oil gets tar black.
This engine oil has a much higher fluidity than fresh engine oil. This fluidity allows it to be a better lubricant and coolant, if anything. Moreover, higher solvency and combustive ability enhance the solution. So, up to a point where it’s too contaminated, your used engine oil is actually better for your car than your fresh engine oil was. However, beyond this point, your car would need replacements, but don’t worry, your engine oil is all good for 7 months after you have poured it in.
Although there is no evidence that suggests reduced efficiency in used engine oils, it’s a misconceived notion that you should get used engine oil replaced with fresher oils. Naturally, the manufacturers benefit from this notion.
But, do you? Does the planet benefit from it?
What Happens When You Dispose of Engine Oil
Engine oil is essentially an oil, so if we dump it into a water body, it won’t just dissolve. The oil would form a thin layer on the surface. This thin layer would prevent the flora and fauna inside the water body from getting the sunlight and air they need. Moreover, the hydrocarbons present in the oil would deteriorate the pH value of the water body.
So, dumping it into water is not an option.
What if we dispose used engine oil in the soil?
The hydrocarbons come to play here as well! Most alkanes form toxic compounds on exposure with air. In turn, they also change the pH value of the land. This will leave the land infertile and incapable of fostering plants and micro-organisms that need the soil as a birthing place.
Moreover, if you just leave a can of engine oil outside, someone else might consume it. Used engine oil is more dangerous than fresh engine oil and can even be fatal to an unsuspecting person who mistook it for an edible.
So, you can’t be careless with your engine oil. You have to know the proper way to dispose it.
When you take out the engine oil, you should label it correctly so that no one confuses it for something of regular consumption. Also, you should make sure the container used is strong and spill-proof.
You should then get in touch with a local auto workshop or disposal assembly, who would provide you with the right information. They may even come and pick it up. It’s best you do not go around with the engine oil beaker sitting in your car. Used engine oil is highly flammable and prone to spills. A little spill today could lead to a fire hazard tomorrow.
The collection facility would then decompose the motor oil in their special anaerobic chambers. They would also make use of combustion to derive the oil in its purest forms, which is then sent ahead for reuse.
How to Recycle Used Engine Oil at Home
We don’t recommend you experiment with engine oil recycling at your home.
Engine oil recycling needs highly specialized machines. Moreover, the environmental conditions like temperature, air pressure, etc. have to be just right. Failing to do so can lead to a much bigger environmental damage.
You can give it off to your nearest expert mechanic facility and they would undertake various filtering processes to make sure the used engine oil is recyclable.
While recycling the engine oil is not a DIY project suitable for any household, reusing is a lot more practical.
Following are a few examples of how to reuse used engine oil at your home:
1) Don’t replace it so often:
As we already told you the used engine oil does not compromise the performance of your engine and most of the times, the darker shade alone is not a replacement warning.
The oil is fine unless you notice:
- A white-ish paste, which indicates a loss of coolants
- A white smoke leaving the bonnet, which indicates an over-heated engine or too much friction
- Over-all bad engine performance
Unless there is any other warning sign that suggests your engine is not okay, it would be fine to continue with the already-in-use engine oil. If you notice these warning signs, there may be other reasons as well.
It is advised you go to an expert before you discard the engine oil. They may be able to help you understand the exact problem areas, and furthermore, they may be able to help you eliminate the pain points.
Moreover, engine oil is not very friendly to your skin. It is best to not get in direct touch with it.
2) Mix it with fresh oil
Since used engine oil does not mean lesser efficiency, you can ask your mechanic to reload it with the fresher oil.
This will help you cut down on your waste and save money too. Please also note that for two oils to mix with each other, they must be compatible too. Not all engine oil prototypes will actually dissolve with one another.
If you are mixing the same brand, there are higher chances it will dissolve, however, vefore you do so please check the constituents.
3) Greasing:
Certain iron appliances are prone to rusting more than others, for instance, your garden hose. They can be coated with a faint layer of engine oil.
Engine oil acts as a protective standing layer between the moisture and the appliance.
However, while you are at the job, make sure your body is protected against the engine oil. Wear gloves and goggles. Engine oil can lead to defatting of your skin, which is a phenomenon in which your skin gets dry and itchy.
Prolonged contact with engine oil can lead to cancer too. So, it is always advised you protect yourself beforehand.
4) Lubricant:
The primary function of engine oil is to lubricate. So, machines over WD40 will appreciate this lube!
However, you can’t use engine oil to lubricate the wheels of a bicycle or your kitchen electronic appliance. The viscosity will harm the wheels, and moreover, presence of engine oil in an electric setting can lead to hazards.
Final Words
Disposing of used engine oil is a tricky job! It’s best to reuse it in the right places. However, you must use a spill-proof and dry container to store it.
Shall you need to recycle it, do not pursue the process at home. Trust experts to conduct it. Engine oil can and should be reused to ensure that it’s more reasonable to purchase and better for the environment in the longer run.