What Should You Do with Used Oil Filters? Crush Them!

Oil filters have been around since the very early days of automobile travel. The primary role, of course, is to clean oil from potentially damaging contaminants within the engine. Ernest Sweetland is credited with inventing the oil filter in 1922, according to an article in Machinery Lubrication. The spin-on filter style became the industry standard by the early 1970's.

Changing engine oil means changing the filter, so that any solid contaminants in the old oil don't  get into the fresh oil. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency keeps an eye on disposing of items like used oil filters, with its Office of Compliance offering a Fact Sheet on what to do. Oil filter crushers play a key role in these best practices.

Proper Drainage of Used Oil

Used oil filters are not considered hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) if they have been properly drained of used oil. Terre-plated oil filters were also considered hazardous because its tin/lead composition, but those have been mostly out of production since the late 1990s.


The EPA says used oil filters must be punctured and hot-drained, which means at or near engine operating temperature. Of the four hot-draining options listed in the fact sheet, oil filter crushers deliver advantages for speed and efficiency. BJE offers a variety of pneumatic and hydraulic oil filter crushers, which will remove 95 percent of the free-flowing oil from the filter, and reduce the filter to 75 percent of  its original size. Cycle times can be as little as five seconds. Here's a quick video demonstration of the BJE C-4 Pneumatic oil filter crusher. 

Since a properly drained filter is not considered hazardous waste, the paper, steel and plastic that comprise filters can be recycled. There are many options available but Earth 911 offers a link to a recycling locator that can help begin the process.

State regulations can be more stringent than federal guidelines, so it is a good idea to check the requirements or recommendations in your specific location regarding hot draining used oil filters. One example is from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, which has posted a Best Management Practices for Motor Vehicle Recyclers. The document sums used oil filter disposal up this way: "The best way to fully drain a filter is to use a filter crusher."

Why Your Fuel Marketing Business Needs Tank Monitoring

For as long as many fuel marketers can remember, the idea behind remote tank monitoring has been self-evident. Remote tank monitoring is based on discrete sensors installed on above-ground tanks to measure and wirelessly transmit fill level data. Dispatchers then make daily use of fill level data for optimal load and route planning. However, the direct and indirect benefits of wireless tank monitoring are more complex than one might think at first glance.

 

Minimizing remote delivery runs is part of any well-managed fuel distribution operation. Not surprisingly, cost efficiency is the main driver behind remote tank monitoring investments. However, for any fuel marketer, eliminating customer run-outs is mandatory. Tank monitoring solutions can solve both these challenges when used with tanks that are either very remote or support critical customer operations.

With Enevo, the tank monitoring value proposition is based on reliability and ease-of-use

There are also significant secondary benefits of remote tank monitoring. Monitoring tanks for theft or contract-breach can yield unexpected savings. Also, the forecasting abilities of remote tank monitoring enable insight to customer operations as well as predictability of delivery needs. The piece of mind of wireless tank monitoring can also help growing call-in customers towards longer-term contracts.

For fuel marketers actively looking to improve their operational efficiencies, tank monitoring solutions are a game-changer. However, service reliability and ease-of-use play a significant role in making the investment successful. To find out more about what Enevo can offer your business, see www.husky.com/enevo.com or call Joe Laschke at +1-(636)-388-5055.

Winding Down: Decommissioning Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems

Individual States Methodically Decide When (or If) to Phase Out Gas Vapor Recovery at the Fuel Nozzle

It’s been about five years since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled that fuel marketers could begin removing and replacing Stage II vapor recovery systems because they were no longer cost-effective at reducing air pollution. Since then individual states have been deciding what to do. The result has been a stream of decisions that has amounted to a gradual phase out. Only a handful of jurisdictions, led most notably by California, still require gasoline vapor recovery systems at the fuel nozzle.

The EPA’s 2012 announcement that it would waive Stage II vapor recovery requirements affected approximately 40 ozone nonattainment areas and 13 ozone transport regions. The agency determined onboard refueling vapor recovery systems (ORVR) are widespread in the highway motor vehicle fleet and are effective at capturing vapors evacuated from the gasoline tank before reaching the pump nozzle. The widespread use designation was made after the EPA determined more than 75 percent of gasoline was dispensed into vehicles that have ORVR systems.

The agency estimated potential national cost savings for facilities that decommission Stage II systems at more than $91 million. That amounted to recurring savings of about $3,000 per year for 30,600 dispensing facilities outside California with Stage II equipment. “By waiving the Stage II requirement, EPA is reducing regulatory burdens on the gasoline service station industry,” the agency wrote in its fact sheet regarding the ruling in 2012.

Decommissioning Requirements

The EPA ruling did not mean all fuel marketers were free to eliminate their Stage II systems. States had to show the EPA that removing Stage II requirements would not interfere with applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. This factor led to what amounted to a gradual phase-out in the states that decided to act. The process of decommissioning the systems is either completed or in progress for the large majority of the affected regions. Some of the most recent actions involve these states:

·         Virginia: As of January 1, 2017, owners of Gasoline Dispensing Facilities (GDF) located in the Richmond area may decommission their Stage II equipment in accordance with the PEI RP300-09.

·         Tennessee: As of July 14, 2016, Stage II will no longer be required to be installed in new GDF.  Existing Stage II systems should be decommissioned by July 14, 2019.

·         New Jersey: Beginning October 12, 2016 new GDF can be constructed without Stage II Vapor recovery systems.

·         Kentucky: Louisville stopped Stage II requirement in May 2016 and requires GDF to decommission those systems within 3 years.

California plans to retain its Stage II program for the foreseeable future. The state Air Resources Board (CAB) believes the EPA’s guidance allowing Stage II removal does not apply because its Phase II Enhanced Vapor Recovery program includes more controls and achieves more emission reductions than federal Stage II. The CAB also believes Stage II elimination would likely increase the risk of benzene exposure. The District of Columbia and three other states with Stage II vapor recovery requirements – Nevada, Oregon and Washington – have not acted to change them.

Decommissioning involves properly shutting down the Stage II equipment that collected gas vapor and transferred it to the underground storage tank until it could be collected by delivery trucks. The procedure generally involves capping off and disconnecting various Stage II components but leaves the below grade Stage II vapor piping in place. Regulations generally require facilities to decommission their entire Stage II system rather than replacing equipment at individual dispensers. All the Stage II hanging hardware must be replaced with conventional hanging hardware.

Two types of Stage II systems had been in place across the United States. Vapor Balance systems are characterized by the large bellows attached to the fuel nozzle. The somewhat cumbersome Vapor Balance system assembly creates a slight vacuum that pulls gas vapors back into the underground storage tank. The other Stage II system, Vacuum Assist, has a smaller vapor collector on the nozzle paired with a vacuum pump that pulls gas vapor back to the underground storage tank.

Husky Corporation offers a preassembled and fully tested set of hanging hardware allowing fuel marketers to replace their Stage II equipment. The EZ Connect package includes an adapter (to plug the vapor recovery line at the dispenser), whip hose, break-away, fuel hose, swivel, and nozzle.

“All the fuel marketer has to do is disconnect their old dispenser hose assembly and attach the EZ Connect package,” Baker said. “Since Husky is the only company that manufactures all the components needed to decommission Stage II systems, customers asked us to develop this professionally assembled package to make the decommissioning project as easy as possible.”

Husky quality inspectors check thread connections to ensure compatibility and consistency. Husky technicians assemble the components with tools that apply the correct torque, pressure-test the connections, and conduct continuity tests against problems with static electricity.

The CAA also required many ozone non-attainment areas to adopt Stage I vapor recovery systems which apply to the gasoline distribution industry and Stage II systems which apply to service stations in the early 1990’s. The Stage I rules limiting emissions of hazardous air pollutants from gasoline distribution terminals in the United States remain in effect.

A Solution that Delivers Instant Value

Very often there is only one thing that stands in the way of making a decision which will dramatically improve a business’s operations. Money. Capital budget cycles can be such that major improvements often have to wait for funding, even if making a change would almost immediately improve efficiencies and reduce operating expenses.

But the Enevo solution to optimize liquid level logistics takes that off the table. Enevo is a robust, simple and affordable logistics solution that will save time and money while increasing customer satisfaction. Enevo uses ultrasonic technology to remotely measure tank fill levels with sensors that transmit data over cellular networks to a central web portal that can be accessed virtually from any browser-enabled device. As a result, large scale deployment can happen very quickly.

An Approach That Delivers Instant Value

Enevo utilizes a Software as a Service (SaaS) licensing and delivery model, where the software is centrally hosted and licensed on a subscription basis. It makes for a complete end-to-end solution.

There are several payment options available:

• Subscription Options deliver hardware and network services for one monthly fee.
•       This fee covers the device, warranty, all data transmissions, access to real time measurements, forecasts, collection lists and alerts via our web service. Not included in the monthly rate are shipping and installation of the sensors.
•        No upfront investments are required with this option.
• Purchase/Subscription Options allow a single payment for Enevo hardware and monthly fees for network services. 
• Purchase Options offer an upfront single payment for both hardware and software

Whether the client is a small private operator or a large corporation, Enevo offers a flexible service agreement to fit any situation. Many Enevo clients start with a small-scale project to experience the benefits the solution provides. This is a way for customers to get into the game and start realizing benefits quickly.

Enevo will minimize total distribution costs over time by accurately understanding the status of inventory, then forecasting service needs based on the history for specific locations. Learn more about the Enevo service at www.husky.com/enevo.

EMV at the Pump: Should You Wait Until 2020?

There has been considerable discussion in the fuel marketing industry about what the extension of the deadline for chip-readers to be installed at fuel pumps around the U.S. really means. The decision provides more time -- until 2020 -- for the fuel dispensers that currently are not capable of processing payments under the Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV) security standards to be upgraded or replaced.

We found this commentary piece published in CSP Daily to offer some interesting thoughts about the decision-making process for selecting when to make the EMV change-over. The writer points out some competitive and cost reasons for making the change sooner, rather than later.

http://www.cspdailynews.com/fuels-news-prices-analysis/fuels-analysis/articles/opinion-emv-pump-should-you-wait-until-2020

The writer concludes that "Delaying pump EMV upgrades means potential market-share loss and higher fraud risk for your site. Consumers - and crooks - will know who's made the move."

What do you think? We'd like to hear from you!

Fuel Marketers Get More Time to Transition to EMV Compatible Dispensers

Time is now on the side of fuel marketers who have been trying to figure out the economics of a big change on their fuel islands. The deadline for having chip-readers installed at U.S. retail fuel outlets has been extended by three years. Instead of October 2017 fuel marketers now have until October 2020 to make sure their pumps can handle EMV technology. The acronym that stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, the three global payment giants that developed technology designed to reduce fraud from credit and debit card transactions.

The decision recognizes reality; that changing credit and debit card systems is a whole lot different at a fuel pump than at a supermarket checkout counter. Bloomberg reported that Visa and MasterCard listened to complaints that owners would not have enough time to complete the ‘multibillion-dollar upgrades’.

“In some cases, older pumps may need to be replaced before adding chip readers, requiring specialized vendors and breaking into concrete,” San Francisco-based Visa said in a statement on its website as reported by Bloomberg. Sufficient supplies of compliant hardware and software to enable upgrades by 2017 remain an issue, the company said.

Make Dispenser Change-Outs as Simple as Possible

It’s expensive to make the change, with the National Association of Convenience Stores estimating the cost at around $30,000 per store – about $4 Billion across the industry. Many outlets are opting to change the entire dispensers rather than retro-fit existing ones to handle the EMV technology. Companies making that decision are looking for ways to minimize cost and disruption to operations.

In some cases, they have found a solution in Husky Corporation’s EZ-Connect, the only certified, pre-assembled, pressure and continuity tested hanging hardware assembly. It takes care of all the components from the dispenser through the nozzle.

“The EZ-Connects are going on new dispensers. The pre-assembled unit is really attractive to even the smallest operators,” said one Husky Corporation manufacturer’s representative. “They see where that saves a lot of labor time and money when they do a change-out or a new location. It saves them lots of bucks.”

This video shows more about what goes into the EZ-Connect system.

Now that the planning horizon is a bit longer, fuel marketers will be able to make a phased-change to the EMV technology. Take advantage of that time to make the transition as smooth and cost-effective as possible. Contact Husky Corporation to learn about how reducing that impact even more with EZ-Connect hanging hardware.

Enevo: Easy Installation and Set-up

It has never been easier or more cost-effective to manage liquids stored in tanks scattered in a variety of locations. Enevo uses ultrasonic technology to measure tank fill levels, then sends the data over cellular networks for analysis and action by any web-browser enabled device. This is up-to-the-minute information that instantly allows dispatchers to make informed decisions about their inventory; a far-cry from inefficient route-based scheduling that costs time and money. This short video provides a nice overview of the system.

Simple Installation

In the field, the Enevo system’s state-of-the-art hardware is simple to install. An Enevo WEL-008L sensor contains all the wireless level-collection technology needed for a single tank up to 16 feet deep. The WEL-008L sensor is made of extremely durable fiber-reinforced polypropylene and proprietary polyurethane. The sensor weighs just over a pound, yet will operate in the most extreme temperatures and in all weather conditions. Installation requires only a magnet to activate the sensor followed by physically screwing the unit into an appropriate 1.5 inch or two-inch opening on the tank. No special tools are required.

The ultrasonic sensors need an unobstructed column of air for precise level measurement from any type of tank. The illustration below shows some example configurations. The robust ultrasonic sonar technology combines with motion sensors and smart software to measure fill-levels, detect when the tank has been filled or sense when it is empty. Measurements are taken at regular interval and automatically communicated over 2G/3G cellular networks.

The software to monitor activity reported by the individual sensors can be set up by customers using any browser-enabled device through the Enevo web interface. The capability includes a comprehensive back office toolset for dispatchers and managers for configuring sites and schedules, managing fleets, assigning routes, monitoring status and operations in real-time, and viewing reports and statistics.

The Enevo system requires minimal training and yields immediate benefit. It is a powerful tool that allows dispatchers to plan optimal service routes. The Enevo system also provides notifications and alerts for additional peace of mind. Customers will be happy and the competition will be left in the dust.