[cstreit]

HardDrive, et al...

Waste oil heating is approved by the EPA for small shop use. There are some fairly extensive studies published around this particular topic, I'll let you do the homework I did if you're interested. Here are a few pertinent facts:

1. One of the main considerations was overall impact to the environment. THe conclusion was reached that the pollution/toxin impact was significantly lower for burning the products properly onsite than the combined risk of storage, multiple transport, handling, and disposal of these products.

2. Liability reduction: Remember that your liability for waste-oil is cradle-to-grave. IE, if you drop off your 55 gallon drum with authorities and they load it on a truck, and that truck crashes, YOU can be held liable.

3. Energy usage reduction: Obvious.

The key point is #1. The US EPA and a number of others have stated a number of times that it's BETTER to burn onsite than to run the risk of standard disposal. That said, dripping waste-oil into your wood stove is not quite what they had in mind. This is why I'm investing in a commercial unit. Ash and leavings are disposed of, the exhaust from commercial units is quite clean.


Randy, on that same note: My buddy has a 6 bay shop. His gas bills were $1500 per month. Spent $6k on a waste-oil heater. Gas bill last January was $91.00