Used Oil Heating

Turn waste oil into free heat for your facility

Waste oil is energy rich, safe and can save you money. Every gallon of waste oil contains 140,000 BTUs of energy.

Waste Oil Recycling

It's valuable!

Waste oil is energy rich, safe and can save you money. Every gallon of waste oil contains 140,000 BTUs of energy. That's the same amount of energy that the oil had before it was used. Don't let that energy go to waste. If you are getting paid to have it hauled away then you are getting about one third of its value or less depending on the fuel type you are currently heating with. The hauler resells your oil for a profit to an industrial customer who purchases the used oil at a savings to him versus the conventional fuel he may use that you are buying at full price! On top of the monetary value of heating with used oil, the EPA says recycling waste oil on-site is the most environmentally friendly way of disposing it.

Why it's important to us

Besides helping to eliminate our customers heating bills and disposal risks, waste-oil heating conserves nonrenewable energy sources, such as natural gas, heating oil, propane or coal-generated electricity. We've engineered waste-oil heating systems to consume very little energy, between 1,650 and 2,200 watts – that's about the same amount of energy needed to run a toaster or hair dryer. By finding smart, efficient ways to reuse waste oil, we're putting more money in our customers' pockets and taking less away from this planet we call home. Those are benefits we can all appreciate.

Standards and Regulations

Guiding regulations

The EPA has approved the use of used oil heaters for businesses under its Used Oil Regulations. Enacted by the EPA, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, CFR Title 40, defines used oil and the explicit guidelines that must be followed in order to safely burn used oil for energy. In Regulation 279, CFR Title 40, EPA provides guidelines for the equipment that can be used for burning used oil. Each state has its own Used Oil Regulations and should be considered when purchasing a used oil heating system. Most have rules very similar to the Federal rules with some small variations. They are not allowed in California.

At NuEra we're proud to sell and service Energy Logic Products. Energy Logic products adhere to the strictest safety standards and are UL-listed for commercial applications in the US and Canada. The Energy Logic products have also received the CE mark, certifying the waste oil heaters and boilers have met European Directives regarding consumer safety, health or environmental requirements.

They are not designed for residential applications and should not be installed in any residential environments. Proper installation and maintenance are required to meet NFPA and CSA codes and standards.

At NuEra we try to stay abreast of the local codes and regulations. Give us a call to discuss the specifics in your area, 1-(800) 347-9575

Certifications & Standards

UL Listed

NFPA

ASME Certified

UL Canada

NORA

Waste Oil Disposal

The EPA estimates some two hundred million gallons of used oil are improperly disposed of each year. The rules and regulations for proper disposal or recycling of used oil are complex and each state has additional regulations that you must be in compliance with.

As a point source of used oil it is your ulimate responsibility to properly dispose or recycle the used oil. The days are gone of being able to just call up the "local oil guy" and have it just "go away".

The business risks of improper disposal are huge – even if you contract the disposal to another firm the EPA (or state agencies) can pursue you for the resulting fines and clean up. Remember – the deepest pockets are almost always on the hook in the US.

If you consider all the risks and the benefits, we think you'll agree that onsite recycling in the form of heat generation is the safest and ultimately the most environmentally friendly way of recycling your used oil.

The best way to appreciate the value of reusing waste oil as a heating fuel is to understand what the alternatives are.

As you already know, every gallon of used oil not burned onsite requires alternative disposal. What you may not know is that each alternative comes with its own potential business and environmental costs. (Keep in mind, the business that generates the oil is liable for any problems that happen during transportation of that waste oil.)

Disposal Methods (Ranked from Best to Worst)

Onsite Recycling: Used oil stored onsite and burned as heating fuel. It's the most environmentally friendly alternative with the lowest business and environmental risks.
Industrial Burning: In this case, used oil is removed from the site where it was generated by a hauler. It's transported to a collection facility (use of energy, generation of emissions), processed (use of energy, generation of emissions) and then hauled (use of energy, generation of emissions) to an industrial burner where it's reused as fuel. This option accounts for where 70% of used oil ends up.
Re-refining: With this option, used oil is removed from the generator site by a hauler (use of energy, generation of emissions), transported to a refinery, processed (use of energy, generation of emissions) by a refiner and resold as base stock (use of energy, generation of emissions).Up to 40% of the used oil that is not re-refinable still must be disposed of.
Improper Disposal: This happens when oil is dumped down a storm drain, into a stream or onto the ground. Obviously, this is by far the worst option and no one thinks this is a good idea.