New York Sea Grant's
Marina Pollution Prevention Web Site

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In facilities doing a lot of engine work, oil filter compactors, shown on the left, can significantly reduce the volume of oil being thrown away in used filters.  Compactors can recover twice as much oil as gravity draining in a much shorter period of time.  Compacting also reduces the volume of the filter by as much as 60 % which in turn may lower costs.  Because compacted filters are so clean, they may not be considered hazardous wastes in some areas and are often accepted for metal recycling which further reduces disposal costs.  However, compactors are expensive, costing over $2,000 plus installation and maintenance costs, and require a compressed air source. This makes them suitable only for very large facilities or perhaps groups of marinas sharing a common unit.  Manual compactors cost considerably less but require more labor.