The management of used industrial oils in La Rioja is an exemplary model of how hazardous waste can be collected at any geographical point where it is generated and used 100 percent as raw material or energy. Its management requires a logistics system that reaches every corner where a drop of used oil is produced, which includes a wide variety of activities.
In La Rioja, 528 establishments and facilities generated used oils in 2023. SIGAUS recovered 1,411 gross tons of waste (of which 33 percent was water and sediment), through 1,146 collection operations in 64 municipalities of La Rioja.
49 percent of these generating points were car repair shops, which include multi-brand establishments, dealerships and independent workshops. However, industry was the activity that generated the greatest production of this waste, where 43 percent (605 tons) of the used oils generated in La Rioja during the last year were recovered.
The remaining 57 percent was collected in workshops and many other sectors, such as transport, energy, construction, agriculture, hospitality and public services (from municipal or regional clean points to educational centers, hospitals, security forces and emergencies).
AREAS OF PARTICULAR DIFFICULTY
Used industrial oils are generated in a widespread and dispersed manner throughout the territory, and are particularly atomized in rural or mountain areas, often far from large urban centers and with low population density, hence the level of demand for the collection service. In the past year, 77 percent of the municipalities in La Rioja in which collections were carried out were rural. In these areas, 526 tons of used industrial oils were recovered, representing 37 percent of the total amount collected.
In mountain areas, where the orography adds additional complexity to the collection service, 19 tonnes were collected in 12 municipalities. On the other hand, 87 tonnes of used oils were collected in 36 municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.
In addition, in areas close to protected natural areas, waste recovery is particularly important. In these environments, 17 tonnes of used oils were collected, generated in 12 establishments located near 2 protected areas.
An example was the collection of 17 tons in 11 establishments of the Biosphere Reserve of Valles del Jubera, Leza, Cidacos and Alhama. Used oils can be particularly harmful in aquatic environments (such as rivers, lakes or reservoirs) because they are not biodegradable and because of their capacity for infiltration and bioaccumulation.
It is estimated that the discharge of one litre of used oil can contaminate one million litres of water and last 15 to 20 years, preventing oxygenation and damaging aquatic ecosystems. In the water resources environment of La Rioja, 7 tonnes of used oil generated in 7 production points were recovered.
A PRECIOUS WASTE WITH INFINITE LIVES
Used oil retains resources in its composition that allow it to be used in its entirety, transforming it into new products, such as lubricating bases or fuel similar to fuel oil. The amount collected in La Rioja during the past year has been fully recovered, once inappropriate waste (water and other sediments) has been excluded.
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Of the net waste finally managed (949 tonnes), 86 percent was destined for regeneration, a priority treatment provided for by law that allows waste to be transformed into lubricating bases, a fundamental component in the manufacture of new industrial oils. Thanks to this process, it was possible to put 511 tonnes of new lubricants back on the market, enough to fill the crankcases of 126,085 cars.
The second possible treatment of used oils is their decontamination to obtain a fuel – called BIA fuel – which replaces traditional fuel oil and can be used in thermal power plants, furnaces and other industrial installations. The remaining 14 percent of the recovered waste was treated by this process.
Obtaining these products from waste oils avoids the use of oil: 253,569 barrels have been saved thanks to the management carried out in La Rioja. In addition, the emission of 617 tons of CO2 has been avoided and 10 GWh of energy has been saved.
