tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52004043874010450992011-07-30T10:47:14.436-04:00Companies includes Rice Oil, Rice Environmental Services and MyCrosschecks. These companies work together to provide a total environmental and lubrication management (TELM) program for industrial and commercial firms, dealerships, quicklubes and automotive centers. This blog focuses on environmental and lubrication related stories from the field, Q&A's and best practices. (And any other interesting ideas that catch my eye)DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-47444856960362516802009-10-06T16:02:00.001-04:002009-10-06T16:06:06.195-04:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-44618970714706758242009-10-06T16:00:00.001-04:002009-10-06T16:00:40.393-04:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-78898092993396757172008-11-18T09:43:00.002-05:002008-11-18T09:45:02.737-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-10630352764348153052008-11-18T09:37:00.002-05:002008-11-18T09:45:33.692-05:00

Reduce operating costs, increase up-time and minimize waste and environmental paperwork by recycling your industrial fluids. You pick: The R4 Industrial FLuid Recycling Service can be used 1) in-house, 2) on-site and 3) off-site to recycle and/or reclaim your industrial fluids that have become contaminated by use. Managed by a disciplined fluid analysis program, used oils are recycled and reused.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-23866206069948327432008-05-22T17:18:00.003-04:002008-12-13T06:18:33.432-05:00

Oily Earth Day at VFW Post 1974 in Parma was a wild, fun success. Click here to read how many DIY'ers showed up with jugs of used oil which we will recycle for them.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-62525981193191866952008-01-07T22:39:00.000-05:002008-01-07T22:41:26.398-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-16549337433184789752007-12-04T21:17:00.000-05:002007-12-04T21:46:04.573-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-57737482449881444702007-12-04T14:45:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:33.865-05:00

One of the Rice team passed this site along to me today. Terrific resource for all things pertaining to reduce, reuse and recycle. Nice widget to type in your zip code and return search results for recycling centers near you. Lube Stop is on this list as well as other Rice customers ready, willing and able to accept your used oil.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-29308203214537693292007-12-01T14:53:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:34.095-05:00

The Rice Companies are making plans for 2008 to marry Cell Phones for Soldiers with its MyGeneration program. For local businesses its a chance to build awareness for environmental sustainability. Simply put, we'll donate our assets for collection & recycling days for do-it-yourselfers that have stored up in their garages used oil, used filters and used antifreeze. (Do-it-yourselfers are folks

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-32939736147646987372007-12-01T14:41:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:34.318-05:00

The Rice Companies join forces with Cell Phones for Soldiers and their mission to Help Our Troops Call Home. We help our customers collect and recycle so many waste streams (used oil, used oil filters, used antifreeze, flourescent bulbs, oily water, etc) why not help our customers' customers recycle their old cell phones, Treo's, Blackberry's and help our Soldier's abroad and their famlies at

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-45964403710702249682007-12-01T14:40:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:34.449-05:00

Great story! Click picture to take you to the USA Today article. You can also access the Cell Phone for Soldiers website at this link.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-33277633537659774402007-12-01T14:02:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:34.646-05:00

Congrats to Tom Morley, President of Lube Stop, the 37-locations fast oil change business in NE Ohio. Tom was recognized by Crain's Cleveland Business as one of the 2007 class of Forty Under 40's.We're proud to be one of Tom's supporting partners as he leads by example through on-going initiatives to go green with environmental sustainability practices (recycling their used oil, used oil filters,

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-16338609053620912172007-11-30T07:47:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:34.891-05:00

In addition to not having a written SPCC Plan, this service center had oil and antifreeze spills throughout their location. This picture doesn't show the open floor drain on the other side of the un-dyked bulk tank. A floor drain, by the way, that did not have an oil/water separator and went directly into the main sewer line.Botton-line: the EPA made a surprise visit and found many reasons to

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-18733636066355347542007-11-29T07:13:00.000-05:002007-11-29T08:00:53.638-05:00

One of our industrial customers ran his business on some vintage presses. So vintage they looked, sounded and felt like they were on their last legs with servo valves and motors failing.The first thing we did was take an oil sample from all of his presses, analalyzed them and because the reports from the labs are written in "Greek", interpreted them in plain English for the plant reliability

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-6808277796035324562007-11-28T22:42:00.000-05:002007-11-28T20:35:44.232-05:00

Total Environmental and Lubrication Management (TELM). Based on things we heard in the field from our customers and clients, Rice has bundled a single-source environmental and lubrication products and services program. Its a complete, total program that manages the environmental and lubrication needs of fleets, commercial and industrial companies as well as car dealers, quicklube operators and

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-80891492680379996562007-11-28T14:15:00.000-05:002007-11-28T14:33:41.987-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-82472120943165575512007-11-28T12:35:00.000-05:002007-11-28T15:32:28.577-05:00

Good question. We don't know. The written EPA regs are very unclear on oil absorbents. We do know that if the waste absorbed is hazardous, you can not. As far as non-hazardous used oil, grease, used antifreeze, ideally the EPA would want you to take a representative sample, perform a TCLP test on it and if the analysis proves its non-hazardous, the EPA suggests in principle it can be landfilled.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-12606441039080569122007-11-28T11:10:00.000-05:002007-11-28T20:37:27.290-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-2527508051730711262007-11-28T10:33:00.001-05:002007-11-28T20:36:32.897-05:00

Yellow antifreeze is a "universal top-off". What does this mean? If you top-off with yellow antifreeze it doesn't change the color (green, organge, red, blue, purple) of the existing antifreeze. Other benefits? You can reduce the rainbow of antifreeze colors and your inventory on hand.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-2842563218833425502007-11-28T09:36:00.000-05:002007-11-28T16:08:18.284-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-41710398536254866112007-11-26T08:06:00.000-05:002007-11-28T15:33:58.814-05:00

A plastic injection blow mold customer had a machine going into alarm and shutting down. He couldn't make his widgets and didn't know why all the alarms were going off. We took a oil sample, had it analyzed, interpreted the results (he thought the oil analysis was "Greek") and suggested he recycle his hydraulic oil through in-line filtration, swap out his filters and the problem went away. No

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-75081171830093714152007-11-25T08:05:00.000-05:002007-11-28T15:33:37.063-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-44668951531005212052007-11-20T22:30:00.000-05:002007-11-28T16:10:09.791-05:00

It's a roll of the dice. You can, but its risky. As the old Fram filter commercial cautioned: "You can pay me now or you can pay me later" when unscheduled downtime arrives.Extending drain intervals without practicing a disciplined oil analysis program is potentially hazardous to your equipments health and your reliability goals. The savings on oil can vanish in an instant if you're not

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-43505076465872437622007-11-20T22:28:00.001-05:002007-11-28T14:56:37.578-05:00

The barrel price of crude and additives and increasing enegry costs continue to rise at the oil companies and base stock suppliers. Like gas at the pump, chemical products, food products, lubricant increases are in the same boat.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-25127318086249649032007-11-20T22:26:00.000-05:002007-11-28T20:49:57.666-05:00

Semi-synthetics and synthetics can help your efforts to reduce emissions and fuel and oil consumption. They are engineered (i.e., cost more) from the base stocks up to additive packages to provide benefits conventional/mineral-based oils cannot. The extra money saves money in the long run with reduced emissions and lower fuel and oil consumption to meet increasingly strict compliance mandates by

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-24527459520868118332007-11-20T22:06:00.000-05:002007-11-28T16:10:48.936-05:00

When I described our MyGeneration service to someone outside our industry she said, "That sounds just like the benefits of DNA." Not being the sharpest knife in the drawer I asked her to explain."Its simple. It's just like some unlucky guy in the wrong place at the wrong time getting charged with rape or some other violent crime. With DNA evidence left at the scene of the crime, if he's innocent,

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-32306700389092921492007-11-20T22:04:00.000-05:002007-11-28T15:00:38.024-05:00

Recycling pays; or in this case, saves.There are not a few companies that see themselves saving on the cost of a disciplined oil analysis program only to have all those savings washed away when they figure their oil is bad, dump it, have it hauled away and buy new product and fill their equipment. With oil analysis, many customers and clients discover that the oil is only "dirty" from use and can

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-71732759898958181412007-11-20T22:02:00.001-05:002007-11-29T18:46:36.112-05:00

Recycled, or "up-cycled", 50/50 antifreeze renews a renewable resource with a cost savings over the "virgin" stuff. And with the 50/50, pre-mix, its ready-to-use. Rice's also has manufacturers approval and is being sold in over 50 quicklubes currently bulking the 50/50 antifreeze product. Their customers dig the environmental bennies and feel confident with the manufacturer's approval. Our

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-42466416693653596662007-11-20T22:01:00.001-05:002007-11-28T20:34:56.257-05:00

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-56977648320357650182007-11-20T21:59:00.000-05:002007-11-29T08:02:00.348-05:00

Its a nightmare. Its confusing. Its frustrating. Just a guess, but it probably started as a recurring revenue strategy by the OEM's to make sure you don't buy any other antifreeze other than theirs. Then again, they may tell you with a straight face that their engines required a custom blend and thats why they made theirs.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-68340246101706711142007-11-20T21:43:00.000-05:002007-11-20T21:48:59.362-05:00

Last week a customer called and said the EPA was coming in to audit his records the next morning and he needed all his records going back 18 months (why only 18 months I still don't know). I reminded him that all of his records and chain of custody documentation where all online in his secure MyGeneration portal site. I helped him logon and he said he felt much better once he saw what he hadn't

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-55149085356232727242007-11-20T21:41:00.000-05:002008-12-13T06:18:35.585-05:00

Most of us for years have used old washer fluid bottles, dirty, oily funnels and even watering cans to handle and pour oils and lubricants into our engines and equipment.A better idea, a cleaner idea and a lubricant storage & handling best practice is the iCan.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-36768348685718246972007-11-20T21:38:00.000-05:002007-11-20T21:43:15.262-05:00

Yesterday I got a call from a customer of ours saying the EPA was coming in the next morning and wanted to see and audit all of their records for wastes hauled offsite. I reminded him that all of his records we online on his secure MyGeneration portal site and helped him logon.He shared that a recently terminated employee had called the EPA and said his former company was "dumping oil in a field

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-24810783370075779752007-11-20T21:10:00.000-05:002007-11-20T21:57:30.940-05:00

I got a call today from a very frantic, nervous and worried Plant Manager because he had just found out the EPA was coming in at 8:am the next day. The EPA inspector wanted to see all his records and chains of custody for any and all waste streams he had hauled offsite.Prior to calling me, he had just gotten off the phone with one of his collectors and they were vague and cagey about who was

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-50790975826805740242007-11-20T21:09:00.001-05:002007-11-28T15:38:01.659-05:00

No. Here's a link from the EPA. See Page 2, "used oil does not include . . ."http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dhwm/pdf/Used_Oil_Generators_Guidance.pdf

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-8980510917034068182007-11-20T20:24:00.000-05:002007-11-20T20:34:11.529-05:00

This was shared at an oil changers convention the other week by an owner of a multi-location quicklube. Unfortunately for this entrepreneur, all his locations have above ground bulk oil and used oil storage tanks in excess of 1320 gallons. This capacity thrusts him kicking and screaming into the category of businesses the EPA requires to have an SPCC Plan written and in place for each location as

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-40682908120574038532007-11-20T18:57:00.001-05:002007-11-21T08:23:24.834-05:00

In Michigan you can not. In Ohio you can. Until it becomes "illegal" in Ohio there are those generators of used oil filters that will say "I'm going to keep on throwing them into a landfill." Others, more enlightened about sustainability, will not.Beyond the scrap metal that can be recycled and/or used as a "sweetener" to dilute the residual content of the lower quality scrap at a steel mill, the

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-27667870348812821172007-11-20T18:34:00.001-05:002007-11-21T08:04:48.482-05:00

At a recent environmental seminar an attendee asked this question. Another attendee said "Yes" because he heard that GE (a maker of "green-tipped" flourescent light bulbs) said it was "OK" to throw their green-tips in the dumpster. At that point, the EPA representative from the Twinsburg, Ohio office said, with not a hint of flexibility, as far as she and the EPA was concerned, "don't. If you do,

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-2199030195743777172007-11-20T18:33:00.000-05:002007-11-20T21:28:04.075-05:00

The EPA says "No". They can be recycled. More importantly, however, they contain Mercury which is a very bad actor for humans and the soil and water tables in a landfill.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-91096028669037035932007-11-20T18:11:00.000-05:002007-11-20T20:53:07.728-05:00

Remember the movie "Clerks" where they are playing with 4 and 8 foot flourescent light bulbs and smashing them in a mock sword fight? Funny but dumb. Those white light sabres contain Mercury. May the force be with you if you cross swords with flourescent lightbulbs; it makes the dumb, dumber (even small doses of Mercury over time leads to neurotoxicity i.e. loss of memory and IQ).

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200404387401045099.post-56816782252487022462007-11-20T18:05:00.000-05:002007-11-20T21:07:26.746-05:00

SPCC stands for Spill Prevention Countermeasure and Control Plan. It doesn't apply to everyone, however; just those that have above ground storage that totals more than 1320 gallons or anyone bulk tank that is equal to or greater than 650 gallons.

DChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02634078406836216178noreply@blogger.com0