• Increased Consumer Traffic
  • Participation should increase consumer traffic at the establishment and can therefore boost business. The collection site will become part of the statewide network and will be entered into the database which is accessible through the toll-free recycling hotline phone at 1-800-346-4242. Anyone can call this number to locate the nearest WOCS. Furthermore, the collection center can receive free advertising as a public waste oil collection site. This will be beneficial as customers who believe in giving their gasoline, oil, auto service, or other business to environmentally sensitive/green care companies will prefer your company over others who are non-participants.
• Public Relations Boost
  • Participation can increase customer good will. The firm's name may be listed and distributed throughout the county and state as an example of a good business practice in which the operator is cooperating to protect the environment by collecting and recycling waste oil. The business can receive the positive public relations value of helping to be a part of the solution to pollution in Pennsylvania. This may be more of a value than the firm might expect because the cost of a lost or dissatisfied customer may never be fully known or appreciated.
• Environmental Protection
  • Participation helps fight pollution and conserves a valuable natural resource. Pennsylvania leads the nation when it comes to the number of community-based recycling programs operating, keeping many tons of materials out of landfills. This recycling effort serves a very critical need, that of keeping waste oil from contaminating waters that may serve as drinking supplies. This helps to ensure clean drinking water for generations to come. Recycling waste oil can also significantly decrease the amount of damage done to natural habitats such as wetlands and waterways. This, in turn, ensures the preservation of wildlife and sport fishing areas.
• Potential Additional Revenue Source
  • Participation may bring about a small source of revenue from the sale of waste oil because waste oil collectors and transporters may pay to pick up waste oil. Should the cost of virgin oil increase, revenue received for waste oil will increase. Additionally, the Commonwealth encourages waste oil recycling into re-refined lube oil through offering a 5 percent price preference when reviewing bids for lube oil purchases for state use.
• Spill Response Cost Exemption
  • Participating sites enjoy exemption from spill response costs or damages that might result from any release or threatened release of recycled oil under the coverage of Act 108 of 1988. The service station operator may presume that a small quantity of waste oil is not mixed with other hazardous substances when it has been removed from the engine of a motor vehicle by the owner of the vehicle and is presented to the operator for collection, accumulation, and delivery to an oil recycling facility.

For spill avoidance it is recommended that the above-ground storage tanks provided to collect waste oil be placed on impervious curbed surfaces designed to contain any release of oil. In the event of an accidental oil spill, a waste oil collection center owner or operator must do the following:

• Initial Containment
  • Attempt to stop the source of the spill and begin setting up initial containment procedures. The presence of an impervious liner underneath the collection and/or storage tank may allow much of the spilled oil to be contained and recovered. Containment may also be initiated by using absorption products such as Oil Dry or a form of pet litter. If a small amount of oil should spill on the ground, it is advised to remove the affected soil by excavation until there is no more oil present. The contaminated earth and oil mixture should be shoveled into a container or sack. Provided that there is no contamination with hazardous materials, a local landfill should be able to accept the material for disposal.
• Contact the Authorities
  • Without hesitation contact DEP’s emergency 24-hour telephone hotline at 1-800-541-2050 if the amount of spilled oil is 25 gallons or greater. During business hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm), you can contact the regional DEP office that has responsibility for your county and report the spill. Although you are not required to report spills that are under 25 gallons, DEP would benefit from receiving notification of smaller spills.
• Cleanup
  • Follow technical guidelines in applying emergency cleanup measures. You may contact the regional DEP office for technical assistance regarding cleanup procedures.