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I know someone who insists on using new, unused motor oil to burn garden waste (in a garden area). Somehow, I'm pretty sure this can be bad for the garden and/or people's health who eat the stuff grown in the garden.

Can you please tell me what, if anything, is wrong with this (besides risk of burns and fire spreading)?

Also, can you tell me healthy alternatives that I can suggest that would work just as well? (If unused motor oil indeed makes the ashes unhealthy for the garden, I mean.)

Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
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4 Answers4

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Lot's of issues

Don't use it for anything, it's an environmental hazard.

Just get rid of it in the least impactful way.

Used motor oil has a plethora of bad chemicals and compounds in it that eliminate for another use once it has been inside your engine for an extended period of time.

Aside from the hydrocarbons

  • lead

  • phosphorous

  • berium

  • zinc

  • bromine

  • aluminum

  • arsenic

  • calcium

  • chromium

  • copper

  • iron

  • magnesium

  • manganese

  • potassium

  • silicon

  • sodium

  • tin

  • toluene

  • benzene

  • xylene

  • ethylbenzene

Here's a link from the CDC.

Community
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Citizen
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5

Composting is a pretty healthy alternative. Here in the UK you can buy electric garden shredders for under £100, allowing you to compost almost anything. In the long run you'll save on buying motor oil.

I've also seen people woodburning stoves by dousing in cooking oil, if it's edible then the residues left should be safe enough.

Nic
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5

A lot of commercial hothouses burn used motor oil - which is worse than new stuff.

If done correctly its quite safe to eat the fruits produced, but its not great for the environment.

There are quite a few bad things in it - in a commercial greenhouse heater these are ducted out the hothouse. That said if the units are not looked after properly, they can leak contaminants into the house which can hurt the plants. Be especially aware of carbon monoxide - which can silently kill people working in it.

Note: that the air fuel ratio is important in reducing the amount of contaminants released into the atmosphere.

In some places oil can also be used to heat outdoor areas like orchards - again, not great for the environment, but commonly done commercially to save crops from frost - but more so in yesteryear I think.

davidgo
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What! If the smoke is sufficient call the fire brigade. I'm sure they will put this person straight on this. The noxious fumes are deeply unpleasant and unhealthy, releasing all sorts of exhaust fumes and pollutants Into the atmosphere. (we are constantly being told to reduce use of fuels for global warming etc. Do you have an environmental health dept you could contact? Local authority, or local bylaws to prevent this? It's they who should respond to this nuisance. If they want to burn rubbish, why do they need an accelerant of any description. It's not that difficult to start a fire with some kindling and a couple of matches. If you're attached to this person, it would be a difficult situation to remedy without causing a lot of angst.