Industrial liquid recycling: Infinite ways to protect the planet

Life expectancy and quality of life have dramatically improved over the last century and a half—unlike any time in history.

In 1850, global average life expectancy was 29.3 years, and 87 percent of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty.

Today, global average life expectancy is 73.2 years, and it is estimated that less than 10 percent of the world’s population lives in extreme poverty.

How did this happen in just 175 years? In 1859, oil was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania. That discovery has been the driving force in generating those quality of life outcomes.

Petroleum products are used to propel vehicles, heat buildings, produce electricity and make plastic. From the oil in your engine to the metalworking fluids for manufacturing and everything in between, petroleum-based fluids are used across industries to get the job done.

While those positive results have been impressive, negative environmental impacts related to oil also have arisen. This includes the generation of billions of gallons of industrial liquids each year that no longer serve their purpose.

When left untreated, industrial liquids—unlike solid waste—easily seep into the ground, wreaking havoc on our planet and wasting valuable materials. This is where the industrial liquid recycling industry comes in.

The industrial liquid recycling industry is organized by Enfinite: The Industrial Liquid Recyclers Association, based in Gainesville, Virginia. For more than 40 years, our 350 members have recycled and reused industrial liquid waste.

The industrial liquid recycling industry

Enfinite has been active in all legislative and regulatory initiatives related to the industrial liquid recycling sector at the federal and state levels to ensure the environment is protected.

This includes the promulgation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 40 CFR Part 279, the used oil management standards, and EPA 40 CFR Part 437, the treatment standards for centralized waste treatment facilities (CWTs) managing industrial wastewater.

The association’s efforts to ensure that these laws and regulations are reasonable and achievable have helped to form an industry that collects used liquids such as oil, fuels, wastewater, glycol, solvents and so much more to transform into usable products.

Used oil

The U.S. EPA has declared that 1 gallon of used oil can make a million gallons of fresh water undrinkable, making the collection of this material a clear priority.

Each year, 1.4 billion gallons of used oil are collected and recycled into base lubricants or fuel.

Approximately 70 percent of collected used oil is treated at rerefineries that create quality base lubricants, vacuum gas oil and marine diesel oil. The other 30 percent of the used oil collected is treated locally to create recycled fuel oil that is used in applications such as heating aggregate at asphalt plants. This reduces the need for virgin energy sources.

The association adopted an official position in 2013 calling for a ban on used oil filters in landfills. It is estimated that 768 million used oil filters are generated each year, each containing 0.2-1 quart of oil. Used oil can leak out of these filters over time and could seep into and pollute the local water supply.

Enfinite members collect and responsibly recycle the steel, oil and paper in these filters.

Industrial wastewater

Manufacturers, landfills and many other industry sectors generate billions of gallons of industrial wastewater annually.

Enfinite members operate state-of-the-art CWT facilities that treat water in compliance with federal, state and local regulations, assisting public water authorities in providing clean drinking water.

Waste management companies that operate landfills often will contract with CWTs to manage their leachate water. When rainwater moves through the waste, it generates leachate water that can contain heavy metals, organic compounds and toxic chemicals. CWTs offer sustainable leachate treatment options to help keep landfills compliant.

Today, the major regulatory issue surrounding industrial wastewater is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Since the 1950s, many products commonly used by consumers and industry have been manufactured with or from PFAS. More than 9,000 PFAS have been identified, according to the National Institutes of Health. Since PFAS are “forever chemicals” and do not break down under typical environmental conditions, they will affect wastewater streams (including leachate water) indefinitely.

The U.S. EPA has a drinking water standard for perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid with limits of four parts per trillion.

The drinking water standards will continue to put pressure on publicly owned treatment works (POTW) to look upstream at CWTs to limit PFAS entering POTWs and subsequently any drinking water resources (e.g., lakes and rivers) to which the POTWs discharge.

Enfinite members are at the forefront of numerous research and development projects, and many companies offer PFAS solutions to industry, including the removal of PFAS from contaminated waters, deep well injection and other disposal options that adhere to strict environmental regulations.

Enfinite is a member of the PFAS Regulatory Coalition, a broad collection of trade associations, companies and municipal entities engaged in and/or affected by PFAS-related developments. The mission of the coalition is to ensure that PFAS are regulated based on sound science and that members, which neither manufacture PFAS nor control the addition of PFAS into the wastewater they treat, are recognized and understood for the environmental benefits they provide. Enfinite members provide critical wastewater treatment services to society and should not be punished by overly stringent and unnecessarily costly regulatory mandates. Through the PFAS Regulatory Coalition, Enfinite provides input to the U.S. EPA and others related to all proposed PFAS regulations.

Related materials and services

Enfinite members also responsibly collect and recycle glycol, paint, solvent, ink, specialty waste, expired products and other industrial liquids. Members also provide industrial and field services, such as in-plant environmental services, tank cleaning and scheduled maintenance.

Because the industry operates a huge fleet of vacuum trucks, members respond to emergency spills and environmental events to assist first responders.

Hazardous and specialty waste

Earlier this year, the association announced the formation of its Hazardous & Specialty Waste Management Council. Members increasingly are involved with hazardous materials and specialty waste as companies grow and diversify.

The mission of the council is to create a platform where members easily can connect and network. It also aims to identify and address related opportunities and threats facing members while promoting the environmental importance of hazardous and specialty waste companies.

The future

Mergers and acquisitions are extremely prevalent in the industrial liquid recycling sector, leading to larger companies in the space that offer a much broader set of services than would have been the case decades ago.

The current movement related to onshoring production and manufacturing operations and the increase in chip manufacturing facilities and data centers will lead to generation of more industrial liquids that will need to be recycled.

The growing interest by the public and corporations regarding sustainability will drive opportunities for industrial liquid recyclers. As an industry, we need to do a better job of telling the story of the importance and necessity of the entire waste and environmental sector.

The Enfinite board of directors has approved funding for a new website, launching in early 2026, that will do just that. The site also will feature a new tool built for the general waste community to help find area specialty industrial liquid recycler service providers.

Industrial liquid recyclers are in the business of sustainably giving liquid waste new life and creating a circular economy where nothing goes to waste. When others see industrial liquid waste, industrial liquid recyclers see infinite potential and infinite ways to protect our planet.

The author is the executive director of Enfinite: The Industrial Liquid Recyclers Association. He can be contacted at sparker@enfinite.org.