Old Rules Relaxed & New Rules Added (CALIFORNIA ONLY), January 2017

TO MIX OR NOT TO MIX – OLD RULE

SEPARATION OF PAPER & METAL:  In 2016, California EPA started to enforce hazardous waste regulations regarding used oil filters.  While crushed metal oil filters could be recycled as scrap metal, paper cartridge filters and metal oil filters (with free flowing used oil upon puncture) were to be disposed of as hazardous waste.  Dealers started to separate the two types of oil filters and dispose of them as two different streams.

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Used Oil Filters – The Other Shoe Drops (CA ONLY), August 2016

BACKGROUND:  Used oil filters may exhibit hazardous characteristics and are hence, classified as hazardous waste in California. To encourage recycling of used oil filters, California DTSC adopted reduced handling requirements for drained used oil filters that are sent for recycling as scrap metal. We wrote about that in July 2016 stating that you should drain the filter properly.  Now the DTSC (Cal/EPA) has started to classify all used oil filters, with a flapper valve that prevents oil from being drained out, as hazardous waste. 

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Brouhaha Over Paper or Metal – Management of Used Oil & Fuel Filters (CA ONLY), July 2016

BACKGROUND:  Used Oil Filters may exhibit hazardous characteristics and hence are classified as hazardous waste in California. To encourage recycling of used oil filters, California DTSC adopted reduced handling requirements for drained used oil filters that are sent for recycling as scrap metal. Used oil filters must not be disposed in trash cans or at nonhazardous waste landfills.  Legislation was enacted in 2004 (AB 2254, Aghazarian) that allowed spent fuel filters from automobiles be added to spent oil filters for disposal.

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