Utah Administrative Code
Topic - Environmental Quality
Title R315 - Waste Management and Radiation Control, Waste Management
Rule R315-15 - Standards for the Management of Used Oil
Section R315-15-1 - Applicability, Prohibitions, and Definitions

Universal Citation: UT Admin Code R 315-15-1

Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024

1.1 APPLICABILITY

This section identifies those materials that are subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15. This section also identifies some materials that are not subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15, and indicates whether these materials may be a hazardous waste as defined under R315-261.

(a) Used oil. It is presumed that used oil is to be recycled unless a used oil handler disposes of used oil or sends used oil for disposal. Except as provided in R315-15-1.2, the requirements of R315-15 apply to used oil, and to materials identified in this section as being subject to regulation as used oil, whether or not the used oil or material exhibits any characteristics of hazardous waste identified in R315-261-20 through 24.

(b) Mixtures of used oil and hazardous waste.
(1) Listed hazardous waste.
(i) Mixtures of used oil and hazardous waste which are listed in R315-261-30 through 33 and 35 are subject to regulation as hazardous waste under R315-261 rather than as used oil under R315-15.

(ii) Rebuttable presumption for used oil. Used oil containing more than 1,000 ppm total halogens is presumed to be a hazardous waste because it has been mixed with halogenated hazardous waste listed in R315-261-30 through 33 and 35. A person may rebut this presumption by demonstrating that the used oil does not contain hazardous waste, for example, by using an analytical method from SW-846, Edition III, Update IV to show that the used oil does not contain significant concentrations of halogenated hazardous constituents listed in R315-261, Appendix VIII.
(A) The rebuttable presumption does not apply to metalworking oils/fluids containing chlorinated paraffins, if they are processed, through a tolling arrangement as described in R315-15-2.5(c), to reclaim metalworking oils/fluids. The presumption does apply to metalworking oils/fluids if such oils/fluids are recycled in any other manner, or disposed.

(B) The rebuttable presumption does not apply to used oils contaminated with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) removed from refrigeration units where the CFCs are destined for reclamation. The rebuttable presumption does apply to used oils contaminated with CFCs that have been mixed with used oil from sources other than refrigeration units.

(2) Characteristic hazardous waste. A mixture of used oil and hazardous waste that solely exhibits one or more of the hazardous waste characteristics identified in R315-261-20 through 24 and a mixtures of used oil and hazardous waste that is listed in R315-261-30 through 33 and 35 solely because it exhibits one or more of the characteristics of hazardous waste identified in R315-261-20 through 24 are subject to:
(i) Except as provided in R315-15-1(b)(2)(iii), regulation as hazardous waste under R315-260 through 266, 268, 270, and 273 rather than as used oil under R315-15, if the resultant mixture exhibits any characteristics of hazardous waste identified in R315-261-20 through 24; or

(ii) Except as specified in R315-15-1.1(b)(2)(iii), regulation as used oil under R315-15, if the resultant mixture does not exhibit any characteristics of hazardous waste identified under R315-261-20 through 24.

(iii) Regulation as used oil under R315-15, if the mixture is of used oil and a waste which is hazardous solely because it exhibits the characteristic of ignitability, e.g., mineral spirits, provided that the mixture does not exhibit the characteristic of ignitability under R315-261-21.

(3) Very small quantity generator hazardous waste. Mixtures of used oil and very small quantity generator hazardous waste regulated under Section R315-262-14 are subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15.

(c) Materials containing or otherwise contaminated with used oil.
(1) Except as provided in R315-15-1.1(c)(2) materials containing or otherwise contaminated with used oil from which the used oil has been properly drained or removed to the extent possible such that no visible signs of free-flowing oil remain in or on the material:
(i) Are not used oil and thus not subject to R315-15, and

(ii) If applicable, are subject to the hazardous waste regulations R315-260 through 266, 268, 270, and 273, and R315-101 and 102.

(2) Materials containing or otherwise contaminated with used oil that are burned for energy recovery are subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15.

(3) Used oil drained or removed from materials containing or otherwise contaminated with used oil is subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15.

(d) Mixtures of used oil with products.
(1) Except as provided in (d)(2) mixtures of used oil and fuels or other fuel products are subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15.

(2) Mixtures of used oil and diesel fuel mixed on site by the generator of the used oil for use in the generator's own vehicles are not subject to R315-15 after the used oil and diesel fuel have been mixed. Prior to mixing, the used oil is subject to the requirements of R315-15-2.

(e) Materials derived from used oil.
(1) Materials that are reclaimed from used oil that are used beneficially and are not burned for energy recovery or used in a manner constituting disposal, e.g., re-refined lubricants, are:
(i) Not used oil and thus are not subject to R315-15, and

(ii) Not solid wastes and are thus not subject to the hazardous waste regulations of R315-260 through 266, 268, 270, and 273 as provided in R315-261-3(c)(2)(i).

(2) Materials produced from used oil that are burned for energy recovery, e.g., used oil fuels, are subject to regulation as used oil under R315-15.

(3) Except as provided in R315-15.1.1(e)(4), materials derived from used oil that are disposed of or used in a manner constituting disposal are:
(i) Not used oil and thus are not subject to R315-15, and

(ii) Are solid wastes and thus are subject to the hazardous waste regulations R315-260 through 266, 268, 270, and 273 if the materials are listed or identified as hazardous wastes.

(4) Used oil re-refining distillation bottoms that are used as feedstock to manufacture asphalt products are not subject to R315-15.

(f) Wastewater. Wastewater contaminated with de minimis quantities of used oil, the discharge of which is subject to regulation under either section 402 or section 307(b) of the Clean Water Act, including wastewaters at facilities that have eliminated the discharge of wastewater, are not subject to the requirements of Rule R315-15. For purposes of this paragraph only, "de minimis" quantities of used oils are defined as small spills, leaks, or drippings from pumps, machinery, pipes, and other similar equipment during normal operations or small amounts of oil lost to the wastewater treatment system during washing or draining operations. This exception does not apply if the used oil is discarded as a result of abnormal manufacturing operations resulting in substantial leaks, spills, or other releases, or to used oil recovered from wastewaters.

(g) Used oil introduced into crude oil pipelines or a petroleum refining facility.
(1) Used oil mixed with crude oil or natural gas liquids, e.g., in a production separator or crude oil stock tank, for insertion into a crude oil pipeline is exempt from the requirements of R315-15. The used oil is subject to the requirements of R315-15 prior to the mixing of used oil with crude oil or natural gas liquids.

(2) Mixtures of used oil and crude oil or natural gas liquids containing less than 1% used oil that are being stored or transported to a crude oil pipeline or petroleum refining facility for insertion into the refining process at a point prior to crude distillation or catalytic cracking are exempt from the requirements of R315-15.

(3) Used oil that is inserted into the petroleum refining facility process before crude distillation or catalytic cracking without prior mixing with crude oil is exempt from the requirements of R315-15, provided that the used oil constitutes less than 1% of the crude oil feed to any petroleum refining facility process unit at any given time. Prior to insertion into the petroleum refining facility process, the used oil is subject to the requirements of R315-15.

(4) Except as provided in R315-15-1.1(g)(5), used oil that is introduced into a petroleum refining facility process after crude distillation or catalytic cracking is exempt from the requirements of R315-15 only if the used oil meets the specification of R315-15-1.2. Prior to insertion into the petroleum refining facility process, the used oil is subject to the requirements of R315-15.

(5) Used oil that is incidentally captured by a hydrocarbon recovery system or wastewater treatment system as part of routine process operations at a petroleum refining facility and inserted into the petroleum refining facility process is exempt from the requirements of R315-15. This exemption does not extend to used oil that is intentionally introduced into a hydrocarbon recovery system, e.g., by pouring collected used oil into the waste water treatment system.

(6) Tank bottoms from stock tanks containing exempt mixtures of used oil and crude oil or natural gas liquids are exempt from the requirements of R315-15.

(h) Used oil on vessels. Used oil produced on vessels from normal shipboard operations is not subject to Rule R315-15 until it is transported ashore.

(i) Used oil containing PCBs. In addition to the requirements of R315-15, marketers and burners of used oil who market used oil containing PCBs at concentrations greater than or equal to 2 ppm are subject to the requirements found in R315-15-18 and 40 CFR 761.20(e).

(j) Inspections. Any duly authorized employee of the Director, may, at any reasonable time and upon presentation of credentials, have access to and the right to copy any records relating to used oil, and inspect, audit, or sample. Any authorized employee obtaining samples shall give to the owner, operator or agent a receipt describing the sample obtained and, if requested, a portion of each sample of waste equal in volume or weight to the portion retained. The employee may also make record of the inspection by photographic, electronic, audio, video, or any other reasonable means.

(k) Violations, Orders, and Hearings. If the Director has reason to believe a person is in violation of any provision of R315-15, procedural requirements for compliance shall follow Utah Code Annotated 19-6-721 and Utah Administrative Code R305-7.

1.2 USED OIL SPECIFICATIONS

Used oil burned for energy recovery, and any fuel produced from used oil by processing, blending, or other treatment, is subject to regulation under R315-15 until:

(a) It has been demonstrated not to exceed any allowable levels of the constituents and properties shown in Table 1;

(b) The person making that claim complies with R315-15-7.3, R315-15-7.4, and R315-15-7.5(b); and

(c) The used oil is delivered to a used oil burner.

TABLE 1

USED OIL NOT EXCEEDING ANY ALLOWABLE LEVEL IS NOT SUBJECT TO R315-15-6 WHEN BURNED FOR ENERGY RECOVERY(1)

Constituent/property

Allowable level

Arsenic

5 ppm maximum

Cadmium

2 ppm maximum

Chromium

10 ppm maximum

Lead

100 ppm maximum

Flash point

100 degrees F minimum

Total halogens

4,000 ppm maximum(2)
(1) The allowable levels in Table 1 do not apply to mixtures of used oil and hazardous waste that continue to be regulated as hazardous waste. See R315-15-1.1(b).

(2) Used oil containing more than 1,000 ppm total halogens is presumed to be a hazardous waste under the rebuttable presumption described in R315-15-1.1(b)(1). Such used oil is subject to R315-266-100 through 112, rather than R315-15 when burned for energy recovery unless the presumption of mixing can be successfully rebutted.

Note: Applicable standards for the marketing and burning of used oil containing any quantifiable level (2 ppm) of PCBs are found in 40 CFR 761.20(e), 2013 edition, incorporated by reference, and R315-15-18. Prohibition of PCB oil dilution is described in 40 CFR 279.10 and 40 CFR 761.20(e).

1.3 PROHIBITIONS

Except as authorized by the Director, a person may not place, discard, or otherwise dispose of used oil in any of the following manners:

(a) Surface impoundment and waste piles. Used oil shall not be managed in surface impoundments or waste piles unless the units are subject to regulation under R315-264 or R315-265.

(b) Use as a dust suppressant, weed suppressant, or for road oiling. The use of used oil as a dust suppressant, weed suppressant, or for road oiling or other similar use is prohibited. Any disposal of used oil on the ground is prohibited under Utah Code Annotated 19-6-706(1)(a)(iii).

(c) A person may not mix or commingle used oil with the following substances, except as incidental to the normal course of processing, mechanical, or industrial operations:
(1) Solid waste that is to be disposed of in any solid waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility, except as authorized by the Director; or

(2) Any hazardous waste so the resulting mixture may not be recycled or used for other beneficial purpose as authorized under R315-15.

(d) Used oil shall not be disposed in a solid waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility, except for the disposal of hazardous used oil as authorized under R315-261.

(e) Used oil shall not be disposed in sewers, drainage systems, septic tanks, surface or ground waters, watercourses, or any body of water.

1.4 BURNING IN PARTICULAR UNITS

Burning in particular units. Off-specification used oil fuel may be burned for energy recovery only in the devices described in R315-15-6.2(a).

1.5 DISPOSAL OF DE MINIMIS USED OIL

(a) R315-15-1.3 does not apply to release of de minimis quantities of used oil identified under Utah Code Annotated 19-6-706(4)(a) except for the requirements of 19-6-706(i) and (ii).

(b) A person may dispose of an item or substance that contains de minimis amounts of oil in disposal facilities in accordance with Utah Code Annotated 19-6-706(2) (a) if:
(1) To the extent that all oil has been reasonably removed from the item or substance; and

(2) No free flowing oil remains in the item or substance.

1.6 USED OIL FILTERS

(a) Disposal of Used Oil Filters. A person may dispose of a nonterne plated used oil filter as a non-hazardous solid waste when that filter is gravity hot-drained by one of the methods described in R315-15-1.6(b) and is not mixed with hazardous waste defined in R315-261.

(b) "Gravity hot-drained" means drained for not less than 12 hours near operating temperature but above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. A nonterne used oil filter is a container of used oil and is subject to R315-15 until it is gravity hot-drained by one of the following methods:
(1) puncturing the filter anti-drain back valve or the filter dome end and gravity hot-draining;

(2) gravity hot-draining and crushing;

(3) dismantling and gravity hot-draining; or

(4) any other equivalent gravity hot-draining method authorized by the Director that will remove used oil from the filter at least as effectively as the methods listed in R315-15-1.6(b)(1) through (3).

1.7 DEFINITIONS

(a) Definitions of terms used in R315-15 are found in: R315-15-1.7(b) through (h) and R315-260.

(b) The term "de minimis quantities of used oil" defined in Utah Code Annotated 19-6-706(4)(b), and 19-6-708(3)(a) means small spills, leaks, or drippings from pumps, machinery, pipes, and other similar equipment during normal operations and does not apply to used oil discarded as a result of abnormal operations resulting in substantial leaks, spills, or other releases. Nor does it apply to accumulations of quantities of used oil that pose a potential threat to human health or the environment.

(c) "Financial responsibility" means the mechanism by which a person who has a financial obligation satisfies that obligation.

(d) "Used oil" means any oil, refined from crude oil or synthetic oil, that has been used and as a result of that use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. Used oil includes engine oil, transmission fluid, compressor oils, metalworking oils, hydraulic oil, brake fluid, oils used as buoyants, lubricating greases, electrical insulating, and dialectic oils.

(e) "Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)" means any chemical substance that is limited to the biphenyl molecule that has been chlorinated to varying degrees or any combination of substances which contains such substance.

(f) "On-specification used oil" means used oil that does not exceed levels of constituents and properties specified in R315-15-1.2.

(g) "Off-specification used oil" means used oil that exceeds levels of constituents and properties specified in R315-15-1.2.

(h) "Parts per million (ppm)" means a weight-per-weight ratio used to describe concentrations. Parts per million (ppm) is the number of units of mass of a contaminant per million units of total mass (e.g., micrograms per gram).

1.8 LABORATORY ANALYSES

Laboratory analyses used to satisfy the requirements of R315-15 shall be performed by a laboratory that holds a current Utah Certification for environmental laboratories issued by the Utah Department of Health, Laboratory Improvement under R444-14 Utah Administrative Code. The laboratory shall be certified for the method(s) and analyte(s) applied to generate the environmental data.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Utah may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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