Businesses that burn used oil in space heaters are reminded by DNR officials that there are requirements and limitations in burning the waste oil.
DNR Waste Materials Management Coordinator Ann Coakley says used oil can be used under certain conditions...
"....used oil is banned from landfills in Wisconsin. It has to be collected for recycling. One of the ways to recycle it is to use it for energy recovery. However, the oil needs to be 'on-spec' in order to burn it in a space heater...."
"On-spec" means it meets specifications outlined in regulations after testing. Coakley says safety and lowering pollution is key...
"....the heater has to be designed to have a maximum capacity of 500,000 BTU's per hour. It has to be vented outside. They can only burn used oil directly from their own operation from household do-it-yourselfers and farmers generating 25 gallons or less per month...."
Used oil with certain metals can be burned, but if it has solvents in it like PCB's , it is illegal to burn. The DNR website has more information if you search forBurning Used Oil in a Space Heater.
