If the glove fits…

Back when I was working at Shell Oil Co. in the 1990s, part of my job was to work on advertising campaigns for Aeroshell oils and lubricants.

At one of these meetings the advertising agency introduced a new advertising campaign for Rotella T 15W-40 oil. The ads featured a bottle of the oil and a pair of old oil-soaked leather gloves with the tagline “Rotella T fits your needs like an old pair of work gloves.”

The woman who represented the company’s Health, Safety, and Environment department took one look at the ad and said NO.

This was kind of shocking and stopped the meeting in its tracks.

She went on to explain that leather gloves do not protect the hands from the used oil and all of the harmful things that accumulate in the oil from the combustion process. She added that if they wanted to use gloves, they would need to be either rubber or latex.

Well, those did not photograph well, so the whole ad campaign was scrapped.

And, as a result of the meeting, a ruling came out that all Shell employees must wear latex or rubber gloves when changing oil or inspecting used parts that were not completely cleaned.

This took some getting used to, but it became a habit after a while. I started carrying a pack of latex gloves to all engine inspections. I got a few funny looks at first, but now this is quite common.

So what does that story have to do with general aviation?

All pilots and mechanics who change oil on aircraft, especially ones that burn 100LL, should wear latex or rubber gloves to protect their skin from the used oil.

After warming up the aircraft, it’s recommended you tow the plane to a containment area.

I do not have a containment area, so I use a 3 foot x 4 foot steel pan with a half-inch lip. This helps ensure that all of the used oil is contained, as well as any mineral spirits that may be used to clean off the undercarriage of the plane.

Once the plane is in the proper location, the gloves go on until the new filter and oil is installed and all of the area is cleaned up.

It may take some getting used to, but it is fairly easy — unless your nose itches a lot.

After the process is finished, you just throw the latex gloves away.

The next problem is what to do with the used oil.

If you burn unleaded autogas you can usually take the used oil to a recycling center. Or many auto parts stores will recycle it for you.

If you burn 100LL, then the lead level in the used oil will probably be above 1,000 ppm and many recycling centers will not take it. However, some will add it to their existing level of used oil so that the lead level is diluted down.

But the EPA says that dilution is not a solution, so some facilities will not take it.

One possible solution is if you have a used oil furnace in your hangar or shop, you can burn your own used oil.

I have also heard of pilots collecting their used oil in a drum. Then when — or if — your state or the EPA or other agencies has a day when they will take any “unknown” waste material, just haul it down there.

If none of these work, you will need to seek out a hazardous waste disposal company and pay the price.