USED OIL RECYCLING​

Used motor oil can have extreme effects on the environment, as even a single gallon of used oil is enough to make millions of gallons of freshwater undrinkable. An entire treatment process can be compromised if used oil is poured down a drain and enters a sewage treatment plant, and oil on a water surface can prevent oxygen from entering the water and block any sunlight which negatively impacts animal and plant life in the water. 

When properly drained and handled, used oil can easily be recycled and enjoy a longer more useful life. Better yet, it only takes a fraction of used oil to produce clean, user-ready motor oil when compared to crude oil.

Used Oil Recycling in Cheyenne, WY and AZ, CO, ID, OK, MT, NE, NM, NV, TX, UT, ND, and SD.

Tri State Oil Reclaimers, Inc. is a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based company serving clients throughout the USA in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

We service oil recycling to such companies as construction businesses, dealerships (including farm equipment and tractor dealerships), car rental providers, compressor stations, agriculture businesses such as big feedlots, airports, school bus garages, tune or repair shops, full-service gas stations, tire shops, and any companies owning a fleet of vehicles including city, county, or government agencies.

Looking for Recycled Oil Facilities? Tri State Oil Reclaimers Inc. helps companies of all sizes that need to dispose of used oil. After recycling your used oil we sell and deliver Recycled Fuel Oil (RFO) to asphalt companies, hot plants, recycling/refining companies, and shops that use burner fuel for heating. Contact us at (307) 635-5332 for a quote today.

What is Used Oil Recycling?

When it comes to used oil, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says used oil is insoluble, persistent, and may contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. In other words, used oil needs to be treated properly because many states have banned liquid used motor oil from landfills and it is forbidden from being dumped down drains or into sewers.

Keep in mind that the EPA also says it takes approximately one gallon of used oil to make 2.5 quarts of re-refined motor oil as opposed to the entire 42-gallon barrel it takes to produce the same amount of “virgin” motor oil.” Recycling your used motor oil is simply the most environmentally-conscious decision you can make.

Motor oil comes in different types, which include:

• Conventional Motor Oil — The most common type of motor oil, conventional motor oil comes from newly refined crude oil in an underground oil well. Conventional oil works best for lighter-duty, late-model cars that have low mileage and simple engine designs. It is essentially standard motor oil and involves different additives and processes to improve its viscosity and engine protective properties. The biggest advantage to conventional oil is the cost as it is usually the cheapest option for keeping an engine protected and a car running smoothly. The downside to conventional oil is that it can be less refined and offers a lower degree of protection than other types of oil.

• High-Mileage Engine Oil — A high-mileage engine oil has additives and other ingredients that help take care of engines with more miles. Antioxidants, conditioners, detergents, seal swells and wear friction additives prevent major engine breakdowns and maintenance problems in older cars. High-mileage motor oil also minimizes oil leaks, reduces oil consumption, and reduces smoke and emissions. High-mileage oil typically has a unique blend of additives included that are designed to help protect engine seals to prevent oil evaporation and improve overall performance. This is the oil that is recommended for cars with more than 75,000 miles. 

• Synthetic Motor Oil — Synthetic engine oil is double the price of conventional oil and maybe more in some cases, but it is also better for an engine. The money spent on a synthetic blend will ultimately pay for itself in lower maintenance costs by preventing major problems. Synthetic oil has a base of highly refined conventional oil that is combined with powder additives and carrier oil to distribute the additives evenly throughout an engine. Synthetic oils are more refined and thus better for an engine. You will have a higher oil change price if you use a full-synthetic oil, but the oil will also last longer and there will be more time and distance than conventional oil before you need it changed.

• Synthetic Blend Motor Oil — Synthetic blend combines conventional oil with a kind of synthetic and gives you a reduced price option to full synthetic motor oils while still having a higher grade than conventional oils. Synthetic blends are something of a hybrid oil manufactured from both synthetic and natural materials. It is essentially a blend of both conventional and synthetic oils to try and capture the benefits of each while reducing their respective drawbacks. In the end, you will get better protection and performance than conventional oil, but probably not as good as full-synthetic oil. Synthetic blends last a bit longer than conventional oils, but not as long as full-synthetic oils. They can be more expensive than conventional oil, but not as much as full-synthetic. 

Motor oils also include certain additives that can make up between 5 percent and 30 percent of the oil. The additives are designed to help enhance the performance of the oil, and may include:

• Viscosity-Index Improvers — A viscosity-index improver is a polymer additive that can expand at elevated temperatures and thicken lubricant to ensure a more stable and consistent viscosity. It ensures lubricant fully protects equipment at both low and high temperatures. 

• Antioxidants — Antioxidants are a series of compounds that are capable of controlling oxidation and preventing oil from breakdown and thickening while helping improve performance and prolonging the life of an engine. Antioxidant additives work by slowing oxidation and the forming of deposits in motor oil.

• Detergents — Detergents focus on preventing rust, deposits, and corrosion from forming on the piston under-crown, piston ring area, and other surfaces that tend to overheat. They were first introduced in the 1950s and adjusted for the failings of oil filters by attaching to particles too small to get caught in filters. The detergent holds the particles in the oil so they do not deposit on engine parts and cause hot spots. 

• Antiwear Agents — Also known as AW additives, these are additives for lubricants to help prevent metal-to-metal contact between parts of gears. They protect parts of the engine especially susceptible to damage from high temperatures. Popular AW additives include zinc dithiophosphate (ZDP), zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate (ZDDP), tricresyl phosphate (TCP), halocarbons (chlorinated paraffins), glycerol mono oleate, and stearic acid.

• Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors — An engine’s internal parts can easily rust or corrode if they are exposed to acids and moisture, so these additives help create a protective film over those internal parts and prevent damage.

• Dispersants — Dispersants are typically found in oil with detergents to help keep engines clean and free of deposits. Dispersants mainly act to keep particles of diesel engine soot finely dispersed or suspended in the oil. They give your oil the ability to absorb and hold solid contaminants so they do not damage an engine.

• Foam Inhibitors — Foam inhibitors act to keep motor oil from forming foam and bubbles that can make oil unable to coat the important parts of the engine and keep it cool. Foam inhibitors improve lubrication and reduce maintenance. They are essential when foam may lead to oil spillage, inefficient control response, or other problems.

• Pour-Point Depressants — Pour-point depressants are polymers allowing oil and lubricants to flow at extremely low winter temperatures without the heavy wax formation at cold temperatures, enabling the oil to remain pumpable. Pour-point depressants prevent wax particles in oil from hardening in frigid conditions. 

• Friction Modifiers — Friction modifiers are used to reduce the friction between metal surfaces. They help reduce friction when an engine is operating under high temperatures or with heavy loads and can also help maximize fuel efficiency.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) established a numerical code system for grading motor oils according to their viscosity characteristics known as SAE J300. The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate and generally corresponds to its “thickness.”

SAE J300 established 11 viscosity grades, which include 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, 25W, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60. These are also known as the “weight” of motor oil, and six of the grades are considered winter grades, which is why they are given a W designation.