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| What is understood by used oil? |
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| Used oil is any oil with a mineral or synthetic base that has become unsuitable for its original application. The definition includes oils from combustion engines, heat insulation and transmission, lubricating, hydraulic systems, etc. Used oils are also the oily wastes from tanks, mixtures of oil and water and emulsions.
It must be noted that vegetable oils are not included in this definition. The useful life of mineral oils is limited, despite the additives that extend it. Therefore, the oils progressively lose their properties until they have to be replaced with new ones. The generation of used oils is estimated at approximately 50 % of consumed oils. |
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| Why do used oils have to be treated? |
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| Used oils are waste classified as dangerous by the European waste catalogue (Decision 2000/532/CE). Their composition is highly complex and includes heavy metals, sulphides and, in some cases, chlorine. The disposal of used oils can pollute soils, surface waters and aquifers, and their combustion causes the emission of polluting gases into the atmopshere.
1 litre of used oil can pollute 1 million litres of water
5 litres of burnt used oil can pollute air equivalent to the amount a person breathes in three years.
To avoid the harmful effects on the atmosphere and people, the oils must be dealt with correctly. In Catalonia, as is the priority of the European environmental directives, we have opted for regeneration, a doubly convenient system from the environmental viewpoint as while the harmful effects on the atmopshere are avoided, natural resources are saved by returning the regenerated oils to the consumption cycle. |
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| Which is the concessionary company of the public service? |
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| Law 6/1993 of 15th July, regulating waste, declares that the treatment of used oils is a public service of the Generalitat, government of Catalonia.
As a result of the call to adjudicate the concession of the public service, the company Catalana d'Olis Residuals, SA (CATOR) was constituted, which is currently the operator of the public service.
Therefore, any used oil producer or holder must contact CATOR to agree on the conditions of collection. The contact telephone is 93 488 19 19, and the CATOR web is: http://www.cator-sa.com/ |
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| Where are the used mineral oils generated? |
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| Used mineral oils are periodically generated in maintenance activities (car repair workshops, industries, ports and vessels and agricultural machinery). |
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| Can an individual change the used oil in his vehicle? |
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| It is recommendable that the oil from individuals' vehicles should be changed in a workshop with the necessary means for handling, storing and correctly managing the used oils. However, if an individual wishes to change the oil in his vehicle himself, he must ensure that no spillage occurs on the ground and must collect the used oil without mixing it with other products, and deliver it to the town's tip point. |
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| What are the obligations of used oil producers or holders? |
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| Used oil producers or holders are responsible for dealing with it correctly. In any case, the following actions must be avoided:
Mixing the oils with other substances (water, brake fluid, dissolvents, etc. )
Pouring the used oil in the public sewers or water beds (streams or sea).
Pouring the oil on the ground.
Burning the oil freely or in stoves, boilers, etc.
Therefore, the producers or holders of used oil must contact CATOR to agree on its collection.
Before formalising the collection, the producer must be listed in the Register of waste producers of Catalonia. At the time of collection, the pertinent control documentation will be formalised (Waste Reception Certificate, Consignment note or Itinerant consignment note). |
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| Where are the used oils treated? |
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| The used oils collected by CATOR, SA are treated in the regeneration plant the company has in the municipality of Alcover (Alt Camp region). The plant has a capacity to treat 30,000 tons / year. |
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| What are the obligations of CATOR, S.A.? |
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For its part, CATOR, SA is obliged to collect the used oils from the producer within a time of 15 days, provided they have quantities of over 400 litres. The oil collection and regeneration service is free to producers and holders provided the oils meet certain standards of composition (water content <6% and chlorine content <2,000 ppm). If these values are exceeded, CATOR, SA may invoice the additional cost of treatment involved in regenerating non standard oils. |
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| What does regeneration consist of? |
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| Regeneration is a recycling system thanks to which, starting with the used oil and by means of a sequential distillation process, the pollutants are eliminated and base oils are obtained for making new lubricants and returning them to the market.
The following link gives details of the regeneration process. |
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| What products are obtained from the regeneration of used mineral oil? |
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| The regeneration of used mineral oil, apart from water, gives the following materials that are used in evaluation: base oil, asphalt, fuels and potassium salts. |
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| What must be done if we want to manage amounts of less than 400 litres? |
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| In such cases it is best to contact managers of hazardous waste in small quantities.
Consult managers |
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| What amounts of oil have been managed in recent years? |
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| The following graph shows the details of the used mineral oils managed by CATOR, SA in recent years. It must be remembered that the collection service began in 1993, whereas the regeneration plant started up in 1995.
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| What regulations are applicable to used mineral oils? |
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Autonomic regulations
State regulations
- Law
10/1998 of 21st April, concerning waste.
- Order of 28th February 1989, which regulates the management
of used oils (modified by the Order of 13th June 1990
modifying section sixteen and annexe II of the Order
of 1989).
- Order
MAM/304/2002 of 8th February by which the evaluation
and waste elimination processes are published, and the
European list of wastes.
- Real
Decreto 679/2006, of 2nd June,which regulates the
management of industrial used oils.
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