| Author | Pracha Nitchapanit |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-96-30 |
| Subject(s) | Lubricating oils--Recycling
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | At present, Thai government last year designated used lube (lubricating) oil as a
hazardous substance but relevant regulations are not effectively enforceable and have few
loopholes. To tackle waste or used lube oil (WLO or ULO) problems, long-term measures
were also proposed which are mostly good and appropriate. However, until now there has been
no significant progress or no any measures yet to seriously implement. Most WLOs are
considered valuable as it can be sold for recycling. With approximations, WLO generation in
Thailand will be increasing 10% a year. In 1994 WLO quantity was generated about 85
million liters in Bangkok metropolitan areas (BMA). About 85% of all WLOs are collected for
on-site reuse and recycling industry which 40% for burning, 30% for rerefining, 10% as a
molding agent, 5% for other uses while the remainder is suspected to be dumped. Practices of
collecting and disposing of WLO are erratic and may cause workplace and public health
hazards. Obstacles to WLO collection in BMA stem from traffic congestion.
WLO collection service should be carried out monthly at any source and more often in
holidays. Suitable WLO collection options for BMA are encouraging of businesses having
collection tanks (or WLO generators) and designating of collection centers at public and/or
private establishments, both modes, in order to accept WLO from general public. The next
public WLO collection programs should be focused on the curbside collection which aims at
collecting WLO from small-volume generators. Processing various data and information with
computers for WLO collection works is necessary. The WLO collection is the first necessary
stage of recycling process and requires proper handling and facilities for collection, including
compliance with regulations.
The success of WLO collection relies on public participation, business sectors
cooperation, and government support, including legislative practices. Policy and decisionmakers
should provide convenient collection service and prepare public education plans for
any type of WLO collection and recycling program. Recommended utilization and disposal
methods of WLO, in priority order for the case of BMA, are rerefining, energy recovery,
transformation to refinery feedstock, and reconditioning of WLO. |
| Year | 1996 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Samorn Muttamara; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Surapong Chiraratananon;Visvanathan, C.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | The Royal Thai Government (Queen Sirikit); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1996 |