Poljoprivreda (Dec 2007)
USED MOTOR OIL – A HAZARDOUS WASTE?
Abstract
Today we all are eyewitnesses of increasing pollution, which disappears in the atmosphere, soil, and underground water. The pollution is a result of men's actions and their reckless attitute toward the nature. Natural resources should be preserved at the level which can provide substantial quality to men, animals, and plants. Any hazardous intervention upon the biological diversity should be avoided and both the genetic balance and the harmony of biological systems, live ogranisms, and dead matter should be preserved. Motor oil is a specific substance needed to facilitate the adequate operation of a machine (e.g. a tractor), but after some time it becomes hazardous, i.e. a hazardous waste. The deposit of the motor oil has to be done in the proper way since it is a potential source of contamination. Used motor oil is a potential environmental bomb in cases of its improper and illegal deposit, especially in the cases when it is carelessly left around the facilities of factories, companies and privately owned farms. A research was conducted on family farms in Osijek-Baranya County and Vukovar-Srijem County in order to determine the way of treatment of used motor oil generated from the engine, transmission, and the accompanying packaging materials.
