Environmental Footprint of Waste Motor Oil

[Mooncalf]

Okay, folks, so I'm thinking of upgrading my two-tank veggie oil system by adding a centrifuge, which would allow to burn waste motor oil, transmission fluid, and brake fluid.


So now I'm trying to think through the impact of this. The main reason that I wanted to get on veggie oil was to stop burning fossil fuels. If I start burning waste motor oil, does that defeat the purpose? Then again, if it's a waste product that already exists, is that pretty much just recycling?



I realize that I don't know enough about the life cycle of motor oil to think this through thoroughly. Who's got thoughts on this?


Thanks!

[Ronnie]

Brake fluid is real bad for the engine as I understand.

I have run Veggie oil systems( tow tank,heated) in a number of vehicles, mercedes, 240, 300, and two Dodge pickups, with good success. Used oil I have added a few times and have found veggie and used motor oil make a gummy mess. Plus I just do not trust that the oil can be clean enough for the injection pump.

So my feeling is burn the waste motor oil in the shop furnace built for it, or let it be recycled.

[Dem0072]

Well, you're already ahead of the game by being able to write off all the infrastructure and energy consumption required to pull it out of the ground. It's already out... and if you power your refining equipment with solar, there's that. Equal or less of a footprint to biodiesel. They still have to run a farm, run tractors, turn it to oil, and send it off to a refinery and they're left with a fuel with less BTUs to it in the end.