Circular Economy

Institutions across British Columbia are increasingly prioritizing circular economy initiatives, where waste is eliminated, and resources are recycled and reintroduced as new products. This includes the Province of BC, who have committed to developing a circular economy strategy, under the Roadmap to 2030.

Buying re-refined motor oil & recycled antifreeze is an opportunity to be part of the circular solution in this province.

On average, of the total materials collected via BCUOMA’s network of registered collectors, 70% of the used motor oil and 100% of the used antifreeze were re-refined and recycled as new lubricating oils and coolant. There are refineries within BC producing a wide range of re-refined oil and antifreeze products that meet, and often exceed, API, ASTM, OEM, and other engine performance requirements, meaning there is no quality difference when comparing re-refined with virgin products.

By moving away from a reliance on new non-renewable resources, and instead buying re-refined motor oil & antifreeze, we can foster more sustainable supply chains and lower emissions. This is also a great opportunity to contribute to a closed-loop local economy as some processors re-refine locally and sell directly back into the BC market.

Buying re-refined motor oils & recycled antifreeze is a win-win-win for institutions:

If you’re already recycling your used motor oil and antifreeze, buying the product back once it has been re-refined helps close the loop in creating a circular economy.
Capturing and re-refining used motor oil eliminates the risk of it getting into and harming the environment. By switching from crude oil to re-refined you are saving a non-renewable resource, helping our journey towards zero waste.
It takes 85% less energy to re-refine motor oil than to produce it from crude. Oil re-refining also results in 85% less greenhouse gases and 99.5% fewer heavy metal emissions when compared to burning used oil as fuel.

Plastic oil containers and metal oil filters can also be recycled here in BC. On average, of the materials collected via BCUOMA registered collectors, 100% of the plastic containers and 98% of the oil filters were recycled into clean materials.
Beyond helping achieve your environmental goals, choosing to purchase re-refined motor oil and recycled antifreeze that is processed and sold here in BC, helps support local economic development.
Re-refined and recycled motor oils and coolants share the same attributes as virgin product, are competitively priced, benefit from a stable market and are available from established and stable suppliers here in BC.

The Myth:

“Recycled and re-refined products are of inferior quality and would void my warranty”

The Truth:

Despite this long-standing stigma, there are processors in BC producing re-refined motor oils and recycled antifreezes that are API licensed and not only meet but often exceed, American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), OEM, and other engine performance requirements.

BCUOMA’s approved processors are required to meet Government mandated and ASTM or equivalent approved specifications for sale, meaning there is no quality difference when comparing re-refined oil next to a virgin product.

In fact, re-refined oil products are so indistinguishable, some manufacturers and distributors have chosen to avoid this stigma altogether and do not label their products as re-refined. You may already be purchasing re-refined engine oil without even knowing it!

When it comes to antifreeze, there are large operations here in BC who have been using recycled antifreeze in their fleets, including in bus fleets & heavy-duty vehicles, for over a decade.

Once used motor oils are collected, they are taken to a BCUOMA approved processor to be refined. The used motor oil first undergoes analytics testing to ensure it is free from hazardous chemicals or contaminants and the feed stocks are capable of producing the highest quality end products.

Often dehydration is used to remove any remaining water, which is then treated and discharged. Best practice for processing motor oil usually involves vacuum distillation to separate the oils by boiling point. Lightweight chemicals are extracted for reuse and Heavier fuels are stripped for industrial use.

The remaining oil is rigorously tested and undergoes final hydro-treating to remove any last impurities for a stable, refinery-grade end product. Some manufactures sell these re-refined base oils directly to distributors or for private labelling. Often additive packages are added to create blended lubricated oils. Additive suppliers will further test the oils performance and ensure engine manufacturers specifications are met.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A DETAILED GRAPHIC ON HOW OIL IS RE-REFINED

Once antifreeze is collected, it is taken to a BCUOMA approved processor to be refined. Best practice for producing recycled coolant is for the used product to undergo pre-treatment processing, before moving through a centrifuge to separate and remove contaminants.

Next, processors may use a vacuum distillation unit, which separates ethylene glycol from virtually all contaminants. Any remaining contaminants are removed through some proprietary finishing techniques such as carbon filtration and reverse osmosis. The coolant is often then blended with de-ionized water before a final treatment to ensure that it meets the specifications chemically and visually. Each batch is tested to ensure that consistent quality and that specifications are being met.

Additives produced by approved manufactures are often added to the feedstock. The finish antifreeze is then sold directly from the manufacturer or via a network of distributors.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A DETAILED GRAPHIC ON HOW RECYCLED ANTIFREEZE IS PROCESSED

There are re-refined motor oil products available to meet any need, from heavy duty diesel engine oil to automatic transmission fluids. Some re-refined base oils, synthetics and blends are sold directly by the manufactures, but for most fleet uses, re-refined oils can be purchased via mainstream distributors. As many products are not labelled as re-refined, you may need to include re-refined as a requirement in you RFPs or directly ask distributors and manufactures to help you identify re-refined products that match your requirements.

As part of your due diligence process you are encouraged to request testing and certification results to ensure the products meet your specific needs. Some processors will welcome tours of their facilities so you can see if the process and products are up to your standards.

To find out where you can purchase lubricants or antifreeze products manufactured using BCUOMA program materials we recommend contacting any of the processors listed here or asking your bulk lubricant supplier.

There are recycled antifreezes available to meet any need or specification requirement, from heavy duty premium coolants to Extended Life Antifreeze or OAT. Manufacturers and distributors are best placed to provide you with detailed specifications to help find a product that meets your precise requirements; often this information is available on their websites.