Used Oil Management

According to the Technical Working Group of the Basel Convention 1997, used oil us any semi-solid or liquid used products consisting totally or partially of petroleum-based or synthetic, oily residues from tanks and oil-water mixtures.

Used Oil includes, but is not restricted to, used engine oils, transmission fluids, refrigeration oils, compressor oils, metalworking fluids and oils, electrical insulating oil and hydraulic fluids.

Environmental contamination occurs when used oil is dumped in drains, on the ground and in aquatic environment; used as a dust suppressant or to mark sport fields; applied to wood as a preservative; or burnt in ill-equipped facilities causing the release of Persistent Organic Pollutants such as dioxins and furans.

Used oil may contain several compounds which are harmful to human health and the environment, including Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) absorbed into the oil from incomplete combustion in engines; heavy metal particles introduced through machinery wear; and additives such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and other chemicals used to boost the performance of the oil. Many of these compounds can induce various types of cancer; affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems; and cause other diseases in humans and other mammals through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact. 

Regional issues identified in national waste oil audits and reported in the Cleaner Pacific 2025 Strategy include:

• Unsafe used oil disposal practices;
• Inadequate and unsafe storage sites, exposed to the elements, not contained and/or bunded; and
• lack of proper collection systems, including on outer islands, and for small generators of used oil.