If your trucks drop used oil at a base before it moves on, the place it sits may count as a used oil transfer facility. Two numbers decide that: 24 hours and 35 days.
What counts
40 CFR 279.45(a) covers transportation-related facilities, including loading docks, parking areas, storage areas and other areas where shipments of used oil are held for more than 24 hours during the normal course of transportation and not longer than 35 days.
Past 35 days, the rule says the facility falls under subpart F of Part 279, the standards for used oil processors and re-refiners. That's a much bigger set of requirements, so most route companies want to stay well inside the line.
What the rules ask for
- Storage: tanks, containers or units regulated under Parts 264 or 265. Nothing else.
- Condition: containers and aboveground tanks in good condition, with no severe rusting, apparent structural defects or deterioration, and no visible leaks.
- Containment: containers and aboveground tanks need secondary containment, at minimum dikes, berms or retaining walls and a floor, or an equivalent system. It has to be impervious enough to keep a release out of the soil, groundwater or surface water.
- Labels: containers and aboveground tanks clearly marked with the words "Used Oil." Fill pipes to underground tanks too.
- Releases: stop it, contain it, clean it up and manage the materials properly, and repair or replace any leaking unit before putting it back in service if needed.
Spill prevention rules in 40 CFR Part 112 and underground tank rules in Part 280 can apply on top of these.
Why the clock matters on a route
The 35 days is easy to lose track of when loads come in all week from several trucks. A whiteboard can't tell you which drums came in the longest ago. You want to know what's at each base right now and when it's moving out.
How PiqMax helps
Base Inventory shows every drum and tanker at every base, by content and fill level. Transfers record each move from a base to headquarters, with the date, truck, driver and quantities, so you can look back and see what moved when.
States can add their own rules, so check with your state agency. This is general information, not legal advice.