(a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section, this subpart applies to all used oil generators. A used oil generator is any person, by site, whose act or process produces used oil or whose act first causes used oil to become subject to regulation.
(1) Household “do-it-yourselfer” used oil generators. Household “do-it-yourselfer” used oil generators are not subject to regulation under this part.
(2) Vessels. Vessels at sea or at port are not subject to this subpart. For purposes of this subpart, used oil produced on vessels from normal shipboard operations is considered to be generated at the time it is transported ashore. The owner or operator of the vessel and the person(s) removing or accepting used oil from the vessel are co-generators of the used oil and are both responsible for managing the waste in compliance with this subpart once the used oil is transported ashore. The co-genenerators may decide among them which party will fulfill the requirements of this subpart.
(3) Diesel fuel. Mixtures of used oil and diesel fuel mixed by the generator of the used oil for use in the generator's own vehicles are not subject to this part once the used oil and diesel fuel have been mixed. Prior to mixing, the used oil fuel is subject to the requirements of this subpart.
(4) Farmers. Farmers who generate an average of 25 gallons per month or less of used oil from vehicles or machinery used on the farm in a calendar year are not subject to the requirements of this part.
(b) Other applicable provisions. Used oil generators who conduct the following activities are subject to the requirements of other applicable provisions of this part as indicated in paragraphs (b)(1) through (5) of this section:
(1) Generators who transport used oil, except under the self-transport provisions of § 279.24 (a) and (b), must also comply with subpart E of this part.
(2)
(i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, generators who process or re-refine used oil must also comply with subpart F of this part.
(ii) Generators who perform the following activities are not processors provided that the used oil is generated on-site and is not being sent off-site to a burner of on- or off-specification used oil fuel.
(A) Filtering, cleaning, or otherwise reconditioning used oil before returning it for reuse by the generator;
(B) Separating used oil from wastewater generated on-site to make the wastewater acceptable for discharge or reuse pursuant to section 402 or section 307(b) of the Clean Water Act or other applicable Federal or state regulations governing the management or discharge of wastewaters;
(C) Using oil mist collectors to remove small droplets of used oil from in-plant air to make plant air suitable for continued recirculation;
(D) Draining or otherwise removing used oil from materials containing or otherwise contaminated with used oil in order to remove excessive oil to the extent possible pursuant to § 279.10(c); or
(E) Filtering, separating or otherwise reconditioning used oil before burning it in a space heater pursuant to § 279.23.
(3) Generators who burn off-specification used oil for energy recovery, except under the on-site space heater provisions of § 279.23, must also comply with subpart G of this part.
(4) Generators who direct shipments of off-specification used oil from their facility to a used oil burner or first claim that used oil that is to be burned for energy recovery meets the used oil fuel specifications set forth in § 279.11 must also comply with subpart H of this part.
(5) Generators who dispose of used oil, including the use of used oil as a dust suppressant, must also comply with subpart I of this part.
[57 FR 41612, Sept. 10, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 10560, Mar. 4, 1994]
(a) Mixtures of used oil and hazardous waste must be managed in accordance with § 279.10(b).
(b) The rebuttable presumption for used oil of § 279.10(b)(1)(ii) applies to used oil managed by generators. Under the rebuttable presumption for used oil of § 279.10(b)(1)(ii), used oil containing greater than 1,000 ppm total halogens is presumed to be a hazardous waste and thus must be managed as hazardous waste and not as used oil unless the presumption is rebutted. However, the rebuttable presumption does not apply to certain metalworking oils/fluids and certain used oils removed from refrigeration units.
[57 FR 41612, Sept. 10, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 26425, May 3, 1993]
Used oil generators are subject to all applicable Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (40 CFR part 112) in addition to the requirements of this Subpart. Used oil generators are also subject to the Underground Storage Tank (40 CFR part 280) standards for used oil stored in underground tanks whether or not the used oil exhibits any characteristics of hazardous waste, in addition to the requirements of this subpart.
(a) Storage units. Used oil generators shall not store used oil in units other than tanks, containers, or units subject to regulation under parts 264 or 265 of this chapter.
(b) Condition of units. Containers and aboveground tanks used to store used oil at generator facilities must be:
(1) In good condition (no severe rusting, apparent structural defects or deterioration); and
(2) Not leaking (no visible leaks).
(c) Labels.
(1) Containers and aboveground tanks used to store used oil at generator facilities must be labeled or marked clearly with the words “Used Oil.”
(2) Fill pipes used to transfer used oil into underground storage tanks at generator facilities must be labeled or marked clearly with the words “Used Oil.”
(d) Response to releases. Upon detection of a release of used oil to the environment that is not subject to the requirements of part 280, subpart F of this chapter and which has occurred after the effective date of the recycled used oil management program in effect in the State in which the release is located, a generator must perform the following cleanup steps:
(1) Stop the release;
(2) Contain the released used oil;
(3) Clean up and manage properly the released used oil and other materials; and
(4) If necessary, repair or replace any leaking used oil storage containers or tanks prior to returning them to service.
[57 FR 41612, Sept. 10, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 26425, May 3, 1993; 63 FR 24969, May 6, 1998]
Generators may burn used oil in used oil-fired space heaters provided that:
(a) The heater burns only used oil that the owner or operator generates or used oil received from household do-it-yourself used oil generators;
(b) The heater is designed to have a maximum capacity of not more than 0.5 million Btu per hour; and
(c) The combustion gases from the heater are vented to the ambient air.
[57 FR 41612, Sept. 10, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 26425, May 3, 1993]
Except as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section, generators must ensure that their used oil is transported only by transporters who have obtained EPA identification numbers.
(a) Self-transportation of small amounts to approved collection centers. Generators may transport, without an EPA identification number, used oil that is generated at the generator's site and used oil collected from household do-it-yourselfers to a used oil collection center provided that:
(1) The generator transports the used oil in a vehicle owned by the generator or owned by an employee of the generator;
(2) The generator transports no more than 55 gallons of used oil at any time; and
(3) The generator transports the used oil to a used oil collection center that is registered, licensed, permitted, or recognized by a state/county/municipal government to manage used oil.
(b) Self-transportation of small amounts to aggregation points owned by the generator. Generators may transport, without an EPA identification number, used oil that is generated at the generator's site to an aggregation point provided that:
(1) The generator transports the used oil in a vehicle owned by the generator or owned by an employee of the generator;
(2) The generator transports no more than 55 gallons of used oil at any time; and
(3) The generator transports the used oil to an aggregation point that is owned and/or operated by the same generator.
(c) Tolling arrangements. Used oil generators may arrange for used oil to be transported by a transporter without an EPA identification number if the used oil is reclaimed under a contractual agreement pursuant to which reclaimed oil is returned by the processor/re-refiner to the generator for use as a lubricant, cutting oil, or coolant. The contract (known as a “tolling arrangement”) must indicate:
(1) The type of used oil and the frequency of shipments;
(2) That the vehicle used to transport the used oil to the processing/re-refining facility and to deliver recycled used oil back to the generator is owned and operated by the used oil processor/re-refiner; and
(3) That reclaimed oil will be returned to the generator.