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البحـث الأول
مجلة النفط والتعاون العربي
161
العدد
- 2017
أربعون
المجلد الثالث و ال
2016
أوابك العلمية لعام
�
ص لبحوث العلمية الفائزة بجائزة
�
عدد خا
39
29
The key in conservation is to increase collection of used oils to the extent
possible
104
. This will not only make more quantities conserved but avoid impact
on the environment and provide more feed for re-refining
104
or fuel users.
One has to remember that reduction of lubricants consumption as a result of
improved quality and enhanced performance is in itself a form of conservation of
resources.
Re-refining Versus Burning:
Although re-refining and burning used oils are considered processes to conserve
resources, they are in a way also environmental measures to keep out used
lubricating oils from the environment. With the exception of acid clay process
and distillation clay process, other re-refining processes produce very little waste
or emissions. The acid sludge may be difficult and costly to treat but the clay is
easier if it can be sent to cement and ceramic industries. There is a cost however.
Burning used oils in high temperature applications such as cement kilns does get
rid of PCB, chlorinated compounds, halogens and so on. The metals stay with the
cement and gaseous emissions are dealt with by the equipment provided for the
cement plant off gases anyway.
In its Waste Oil Directive of 2008, the EU favoured re-refining of used oils over
their use as fuel where this is technically feasible and economically viable
4
. The
EU directed member states to align their laws accordingly
25
. However, the EU
removed the priority given to re-refining in later directives because member states
cited some life cycle analysis which did not give a higher order to re-refining
against burning with respect to impact on the environment
1
.
The EU Waste Incineration Directive of 2005 sets limits on atmospheric
emissions from burning of waste and it applies to co-incineration plants such as
cement kilns as well as dedicated incinerators
4
.
Many studies suggest that re-refining is better for the resource conservation and
environmental protection
104
. The life cycle analysis of Groupment European de
l’Industrie de la Regeneration (
GEIR)
1
demonstrates this on almost every count
of global warming, nitrification, acidification, fine particulates (PM 10) and for
carcinogenic risk. Studies related to California also showed more or less the same
results
1
. However, not everybody agrees to this as mentioned with respect to the