KEY FACTS ON WASTE MOTOR OIL Of all petroleum-related pollution in the United States 62% is estimated to be used lube-oil, much of which eventually works its way to the ocean. Surveys done by DOE indicate that people who have heard about recycling programs, are three times as likely to dispose of used oil by taking it to a gas station or giving the oil away for recycling. Do-it-yourselfer's properly recycle only 14% of the waste oil they generate. Of the 821 million gallons of motor oil sold in the United States in 1985, over 70% or 575 million gallons will be purchased by do-it-yourselfers. Based on DOE figures, we can expect about 161 million gallons to be burned or leaked, with the balance of 414 million gallons to be drained. Of the 414 million gallons only 58 million gallons will be recycled, leaving 356 million gallons to be disposed of. of this 414 million gallons, 40% or 165.6 million gallons will be dumped directly on the ground. Another 21% or 87 million gallons will be put in the trash or garbage, where if taken to a landfill, will end up in the nation's groundwater. Another 25% or 103.5 million gallons will be used for miscellaneous purposes such as spreading on roads to restrict dust or to kill weeds, and may eventually end up contaminating the environment. DIY'ers are three times as likely to recycle oil if made aware of a recycling program. 72% of the DIY'ers state they would always, (57%) or usually, (15%) recycle the oil if the place they bought the oil had collection facilities. 75% state that they would always, (60%) or usually, (158) recycle the used oil if a nearby service station would take the used oil. |