Disposal
of Used Oil and Fuel Absorbent Products
What
does “dispose of properly” mean???
 Giving clear cut guidance on disposal of oil and fuel soaked materials
is not easy. Disposal guidelines vary widely from one local jurisdiction
to another, making a correct method in one area possibly illegal in another.
Improper storage and disposal of saturated absorbent materials can
result in safety and environmental hazards including combustion risk
and soil contamination. Legal penalties and fines can be imposed on individuals
found to be disposing of hazardous materials improperly.
 In
an ideal world every marina would have a separate metal container or
bin, with a tight fitting lid, to collect oil and fuel saturated materials.
This bin would be labeled “For Oil/Fuel Absorbent Materials Only” and
would be emptied on a regular basis. A disposal firm would be on contract
to come at regular intervals to collect the materials and remove them
for safe offsite disposal. Unfortunately this practice can be costly
and therefore it is more the exception than the norm.
What
is the conscientious marina to do?
Before
starting to use large quantities of absorbent products at your
marina, determine a plan for disposal.
-
Designate
a separate metal bin labeled for absorbent disposal. Do not just
throw them in the garbage.
-
Find
out about your local disposal regulations. Contact your local waste
management department.
-
Contact
neighboring marinas, gas stations or auto repair shops and ask
how they dispose of used absorbents. You may be able to get a discounted
rate on disposal by partnering with other neighboring businesses.
-
Train
your fueling staff how and where they should dispose of saturated
absorbent materials.
-
Find
out about disposal options in your area visit www.earth911.org for
more information.
 Check
out our FREE educational signage and brochure to help educate your
customers and staff.
Check
out these products that help make clean fueling simple.
Do
you know the legal requirements associated with a fuel dock? Stay
out of trouble by knowing the law.
Need
more information? Here are other organizations working with us
to help spread the word about clean fueling. |
