Used Oil - Oil/Water Separators 
Suggested Best Management Practices (BMPs)

These best management practices (BMPs) are intended to provide some ideas for the content of Pollution Prevention Plans (P2 Plans) and relay helpful information which could minimize generation of wastes and releases of contaminants.  A variety of wastes may be mentioned in the BMPs. BMPs are not a comprehensive guide for waste management compliance.  For example, the owner/operator should be more familiar with the quantities and characteristics of their own wastes and should seek out other available resources for requirements such as determining whether a particular waste should be managed as a non-hazardous waste or a more strictly regulated “hazardous waste.”  More complete regulatory citations and guidance are available from other, separate resources within WDEQ, including the Wyoming Hazardous Waste Rules and the Wyoming Solid Waste Rules.

In the case of used oil, please be aware that used oil is regulated under
Chapter 12 of the Wyoming Hazardous Rules and Regulations and Wyoming Solid Waste Rules.

In addition to regulations, general help with interpretations and guidance can also be found at the following link: http://deq.state.wy.us/shwd/I&C/index.asp

Questions to Consider

Suggested Best Management Practices - BMPs

Are you using your Oil Water Separator (OWS) to handle spills?

Eliminate contaminants: Don’t rely on the OWS to handle wash water from fuel, coolant, solvent, oil, or paint spills. Instead, clean up spills when and where they occur with dry methods.

Are you using detergents in your wash water?

Wash without detergents: Emulsifying cleaning compounds disperse oil in wash water and make OWSs ineffective-oil passes right through to the sewer. High pressure water or non-emulsifying cleaners are sufficient for most cleaning applications.

Do you minimize the amount of solids and oils that enter your OWS?

Minimize loading. The less solids and oils that reach the OWS, the less frequently sludge and floating oil must be removed from the OWS and the better it will work. Also, minimize the amount of wash water reaching the OWS. Excessive water flow can flood an OWS, forcing wastewater through it too fast to allow separation and will allow oil and other contaminants to pass right through to the sewer.

Is your OWS designed to reduce sludge?

The best way to reduce OWS sludge is to keep solids out of vehicle and floor wash water. Install progressively finer grates and screens over the drains to the OWS inlet in order to maximize solids separation.

Do you recycle oil from your OWS?

If possible, use oil-only absorbents to separate and recycle oil from your OWS.

Have you considered bioremediation to minimize the oil content in your OWS?

Use microorganisms to digest oil in your OWS. Bioremediation is a proven technique to minimize the oil content in OWS effluent and sludge and to reduce OWS cleanout frequency. Microorganisms added to an OWS break down petroleum products suspended or dissolved in the wastewater, floating oil, or sludge. Facilities using bioremediation may be able to eliminate wastewater violations and have reported reducing their sludge petroleum content by more than 80 percent. Such reductions can lower the regulatory status of OWS sludge, which will affect the required disposal method and disposal costs. Bioremediation is typically performed under a vendor service contract. Microorganisms are added to an OWS or interceptor lines on a regular basis to replenish microorganism populations. Microorganisms are nontoxic and completely safe; the main by-products of bioremediation are water and carbon dioxide.

YOUR IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

SEE THE TOOLBOX INTRODUCTION ON WAYS TO START YOUR P2 PLAN. IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION AND POLLUTION FROM HAPPENING AT YOUR BUSINESS. IF A SPILL HAPPENS ANYWAY, YOU MUST BE IMPLEMENTING A POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR DEQ’S VOLUNTARY REMEDIATION PROGRAM.


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