Louisiana’s Waste Oil Regulations That You Should Know About

By Thomas Brown

Discover Louisiana’s Waste Oil Laws

While federal rules govern the general handling of used oil from state to state, individual states often incorporate their own stipulations within their legal frameworks. In Louisiana, individuals and businesses must recycle waste oil to avoid penalties. The state offers some support for used oil programs at the local government level. Here’s what you should know about Louisiana’s current waste oil laws and incentives.

Why Recycle Waste Oil in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality provides online resources that private citizens and businesses can use to find out more about appropriate disposal and recycling practices for motor waste oil. More than four million private vehicles belong to Louisiana residents. Each of those produces an average of 2.5 gallons of used oil every year. When residents fail to dispose of their waste oil in recommended ways, the environment and the people who live there suffer.

Through state incentive programs, Louisiana maintains more than 200 oil drop off centers at private businesses and in local governments. These drop off centers give DIYers a way to appropriately handle waste oil and provide businesses with access to valuable resource for recycling or energy recovery.

Louisiana’s Waste Oil Laws

Under current waste oil management laws (RS 30:2417) on used oil and its disposal, collection, and recycling:

• The state does not allow residents to dispose of oil in any way other than delivering it to a registered collection center. Residents can, however, burn any used oil they produce themselves as long as they follow state law while doing so. For example, an individual or business could store waste oil from oil changes and use it in a high efficiency heating system designed to minimize pollution and maximize energy savings.

• The state does provide for a used oil program designed to encourage waste oil collection and recycling at the local government level.

Louisiana’s waste oil regulations and programs are not as robust as some, but the state does use its laws to encourage sustainable recycling and disposal activities. Residents who do not adhere to state and federal laws regarding waste oil handling may face penalties, including fines.

How Businesses Can Maximize Waste Oil Management in Louisiana

Businesses must get more creative to make their waste oil management programs cost effective. Since the state has no existing environmental or waste oil funding incentives available to businesses, automotive centers and garages can invest in a recycling service – or they can invest in onsite energy recovery solutions.

Waste oil heating and cooling systems allow businesses to burn off waste oil while saving money on monthly energy bills. Louisiana does have general recycling equipment tax incentives, but most hazardous waste equipment doesn’t fall into the category of incentivized investments. The good news is that the energy savings from reusing waste oil onsite often pays for itself over the course of a few years. For businesses that already pay for transference and recycling services, a waste oil heating and cooling system may serve as a better alternative – especially when the heat index rises.