Eric Zimmer was named executive vice president of sales and marketing for Safety-Kleen systems in October 2009. Zimmer has been employed by the company or its predecessor since December 1995. Prior to joining Safety-Kleen, Zimmer held various positions in sales, business development and operations with Westinghouse Corp. in its Environmental Systems and Services Group. From November 2000 to December 2006, he served as vice president overseeing business management, marketing and national accounts programs, and most recently as senior vice president of marketing. Zimmer holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri and has completed courses in graduate studies at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

In this exclusive Executive Interview, Zimmer talks about EcoPower, the company’s new, environmentally friendly motor oil.

Tell us briefly about Safety-Kleen and what you’re about?

Safety-Kleen is a leading North American used oil recycling and re-refining, parts cleaning and environmental solutions company, with approximately 4,300 employees serving approximately 330,000 customer locations. We are at the forefront of developing practical green solutions for business, just as we were the day the company was founded.

How does your new EcoPower brand fit?

For the past 20 years, Safety-Kleen has produced high-quality motor oils for large commercial fleets and the federal government by re-refining used oil the company collects at thousands of car dealerships, automotive retailers and quick-lube facilities across North America. Safety-Kleen is now making its re-refined oil available to consumers under the brand name EcoPower through leading retailers and distributors.

What are the benefits of using recycled motor oil like EcoPower?

Using EcoPower re-refined motor oil is a good way to help conserve a valuable resource while taking care of your car at the same time.

When used motor oil is re-refined, it takes about 80 percent less energy to produce than traditional oil made from crude. And producing re-refined motor oil helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Safety-Kleen’s production of 97 million gallons of re-refined lube oil from used oil in 2008 avoided the emissions of more than one million metric tons of greenhouse gases that year. That is equivalent to taking almost 200,000 cars off the road.

Is EcoPower safe to put in everyone’s car?

The process for re-refining used oil is virtually the same as refining crude oil. Both go through the same exacting processes of distillation and hydrotreating. The end-product is identical to traditional motor oils made from crude and must meet the same specifications, but produced in a much greener way. The end-product, EcoPower, meets and exceeds the specifications set by the American Petroleum Institute and the Society of Automotive Engineers. Because it meets these exacting standards, all major U.S. car manufacturers have approved the use of EcoPower.

What do motorists and those “do-it-yourself-oil-changers” need to know about the potential harm caused by improperly disposing motor oil?

Improper disposal of motor oil can cause great harm to the environment -- and it’s a big problem. According to the EPA, one gallon of motor oil alone, when improperly discarded, has the potential to contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water. It’s estimated that more than 200 million gallons of oil is improperly disposed of by do-it-yourselfers every year. You can visit www.usedoil.com to find a retailer that will accept used oil from the DIY consumer.