Development of waste generation factors based on field survey for waste oil refineries and appraisal of process and non-process waste management

The accurate and realistic data on waste generation is needed to make improvements in the effective and efficient management of waste including the application of 4R (reduce, reuse, recycle and recover). However, due to the lack of detailed data for estimating sectoral-based waste amounts in waste statistics, inappropriate waste generation factors are used for different sectors and unrealistic results can be obtained in this case. For this reason, it is necessary to develop the field-based waste generation factors that can be valid for regional or country-wide sector-based waste generation. Accurate estimation of the amount of waste generated as a result of refining is crucial for the waste oil sector, which has significant environmental and economic value. The aim of our study was to develop the waste generation factors for process and non-process wastes that may originate from rapidly growing waste oil refineries because of its potential to cause serious harm (H3B-flammable, H13-leachate with hazardous properties, H14-ecotoxic) to humans and the environment and evaluation within the scope of "Waste Management Regulation". To evaluate waste generation within the scope of the study, the ten-waste oil-refining plants were investigated through field survey and site-specific engineering analysis (regulatory review, licensing and qualification). Using the field survey approach, the performed calculations showed that the highest waste generation factors were found in acid tars (19 11 02*), sludge's from physico/chemical treatment containing dangerous substances (19 02 05*) and sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances (19 11 05*) with generation rates between 0,0072-0,0402, 0,0069-0,0404 and 0,0310 kg of waste per kg of waste oil, respectively. These are recyclable wastes type that can be re-processed and made new products. The availability of this strategically important information will offer a surplus opportunity for increasing profits from the refining of waste oils. However, there is still a long way to attain full circular economy. As a result, the developed waste generation factors will form the basis for waste management and will contribute to the establishment of a decision support mechanism for the authorities by helping to monitor and predict the annual waste amounts that may arise from the sector. Moreover, it's important to note that this current study has, for the first time, revealed the types and quantities of waste present in waste oil refineries.