What Happens To It
- Used Oil: Re-refined into new lubricating oil and used as a fuel in pulp mills, cement plants and asphalt plants.
- Used Antifreeze: Reprocessed to produce new automotive antifreeze.
- Oil Filters: Reused for metal products .
- Plastic Oil and Antifreeze Containers: New oil containers, flower pots, pipe, guardrails, patio furniture.
Get Your Oil Ready For Transportation
When you’re done, you may need to transfer your oil from your drip pan to another container for storage and transportation, but it’s important to select one that’s appropriate. Don’t use milk cartons, empty juice containers, or any other random container you may have lying around the house. If you happen to have the original container the oil came in, you should use that. Otherwise, you’ll want to use something made of polyethylene or another plastic deemed suitable for the purpose. Also, some oil pans are made such that they can be sealed closed. These pans make it easy to contain and transport used oil.
Motor oil that’s been mixed with other fluids isn’t recyclable, so take care not to let yours mingle with washer fluid, gasoline, or any other liquid . Make sure your storage container has never been used to store other fluids at any point, even if it was a long time ago.
Recycled Motor Oil Meets The Same Standards As Virgin Oil
Recycled oil meets or exceeds standards set by the American Petroleum Institute . It lasts just as long and performs just as well as virgin oil. It also has the stamp of approval of every major car manufacturer. Of all the environmentally responsible choices you can make, opting to purchase recycled oil might just be the most effortless. It’s good for the planet, good for the economy, and it doesn’t require a single sacrifice on your part.
If you have used oil you’d like to recycle, many auto repair and quick lube shops will accept your used motor oil. Head over to Earth911 to locate a collection center near you, and get lots more information about oil and recycling on the next page.
Originally Published: Aug 29, 2012
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How To Get Car Oil Off Tarmac
If youve had a small spill on your driveway, do the following;to get rid of car oil:;
Oil spills;must always be;cleaned,;and;with the steps above, you can ensure your asphalt is spotless and the environment is safe from pollutants. View;Totals range of car oils, or get in touch with our experts for more information.;
The Benefits Of Reusing And Recycling Used Oil
Recycling and reusing used motor oil is preferable to disposal and can provide great environmental benefits. Recycled used motor oil can be re-refined into new oil, processed into fuel oils, and used as raw materials for the petroleum industry.
Use the below resources to find recycling locations near you:
Used oils such as engine lubrication oil, hydraulic fluids, and gear oils used in cars, bikes, or lawnmowers can pollute the environment if they are not recycled or disposed of properly. Used oil must be managed properly by local waste management authorities or automotive repair shops to prevent contaminating the environment. Used oil filters pose similar waste concerns. If properly drained, they can be safely recycled or disposed.
Some of the many reasons to reuse and recycle used oil include:
- Recycling used oil keeps it from polluting soil and water.
- Motor oil does not wear outit just gets dirtyso recycling it saves a valuable resource.
- Less energy is required to produce a gallon of re-refined base stock than a base stock from crude oil.
- One gallon of used motor oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil.
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Draining Old Engine Oil
Oil is difficult to recycle if it is contaminated with other substances or chemicals. Use a funnel to pour old engine oil into a clean container for recycling.
If youre draining oil directly from your vehicle, protect the ground with generous layers of newspaper before you begin spillages are difficult to clear up. Make sure that the engine is cold before you drain oil from your car.
Find out how to drain your old engine oil here.
Why Its Important To Recycle Engine Oil
Old engine oil is insoluble and contaminated with both toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Not only this, but oil is particularly slow to degrade, making it one of the worst substances to pollute waterways. This is why you must never pour old engine oil on the ground, down a drain or into a bin. If engine oil ends up in waterways, removal is expensive and difficult.
Instead, you must dispose of engine oil by dropping it off at a recycling bank.
One drop of oil harms a million drops of water BC Used Oil Management Association
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Why Is It Important To Recycle Used Lubricating Oil Materials
Used lubricating oil e.g. automotive oil is considered a hazardous waste. Rather than contaminating our waterways and land, it can be collected, processed, and put to good use again through recycling.
Oil filters and containers are valuable products. Rather than sending them to landfill, they can help fuel our economy and be transformed into valuable new products.
What Should You Do With Successfully Collected Oil
Depending on where you live, you may be able to turn your used motor oil in via your cityâs curbside recycling program. If your city does allow for this, make sure you carefully research packaging requirements and protocol. If curbside recycling for motor oil isnât a possibility in your city, then youâll need to make plans to drop it off yourself at a participating recycling center.
Donât worry if youâre not quite sure where to take your oil or if the nearest recycling center is a little off the beaten trail for you. Most AutoZone stores accept used motor oil, as well as other sensitive recyclables . Get in touch with your friendly neighborhood location today for all the details. When youâre done dropping off your used oil, you can pick up a fresh jug of new engine oil while youâre there. Get started today!
Advice, how-to guides, and car care information featured on AutoZone.com and AutoZone Advice & How-Toâs are presented as helpful resources for general maintenance and automotive repairs from a general perspective only and should be used at your own risk. Information is accurate and true to the best of AutoZoneâs knowledge, however, there may be omissions, errors or mistakes.
FREE Loan-A-Tool® program requires returnable deposit. Please note that the tool that you receive after placing an online order may be in a used but operable condition due to the nature of the Loan-A-Tool® program.
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Definition Of Illegal Dumping
The definition of illegal dumping depends on state law, but typically refers to dumping on property that is not licensed or permitted to receive waste; dumping in sewers or waterways without a license or permit; or permitting another person to dump on your land without having the appropriate license.
Doing It Yourself Do It Right
If you change your own oil on your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, recreational vehicle, or lawnmower, be certain to work carefully and dispose of the used motor oil and filters properly. Follow these steps for a clean oil change that prevents pollution and conserves energy for a safer and healthier tomorrow.
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Oil Recycling Makes Economic Sense
Recycling oil is cheaper than refining oil from crude. It takes 42 gallons of crude oil but only 1 gallon of used motor oil to produce the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil. Recycling oil also reduces our independence on foreign oil; the more oil we recycle, the less oil we need to purchase from other sources.
Managing Reusing And Recycling Used Oil
Used oil is exactly what its name implies: any petroleum-based or synthetic oil that has been used. Oil keeps our cars, lawnmowers, and many other machines running smoothly. However, during normal use, impurities such as dirt, metal scrapings, water, or chemicals, can get mixed in with the oil, so that in time, the oil no longer performs well. Eventually, this used oil must be replaced with virgin or re-refined oil to do the job correctly.
On this page:
Note: Information on this page is meant for consumers. For information on managing used oil at your place of business, read through our frequent questions for small businesses.
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Benefits Of Oil Recycling
Oil recycling offers benefits that appeal to conservationists and consumers across the political spectrum. Recycling oil is a boon to the environment and comes with great economic benefits. And, as we’ve already learned, oil that’s recycled and repurposed for the consumer gets the thumbs-up from the American Petroleum Institute . Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of oil recycling.
Grandmothers have been recycling cooking oil forever, collecting pan drippings in containers under the kitchen sink to reuse for that next batch of fried chicken. But after a period of time, the flavor of that oil goes from rich to rancid — and it gets tossed. Today’s generation of cooking oil recyclers have more options. This oil can be recycled into biodiesel fuel or even filtered and used as straight vegetable oil fuel for cars that have been converted to run on oil alone. Learn more about biodiesel technology at Biodiesel.org and SVO products at PlantDrive.com.
How To Recycle Your Used Engine Oil
If you change your own engine oil the used oil must be disposed of responsibly.
Here at Castrol, we understand the importance of looking after the environment by recycling used engine oil. In fact, Castrol group companies are already working on ways to make sure that every ounce of used engine oil is recycled and re-refined, as you can see at www.nexcel.co.uk
You can play your part by making sure that you dispose of your old engine oil responsibly. The simplest way to do this is to put it inside the container your new oil came in, and take it to your local council recycling centre to be disposed of.
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Replace The Oil Filter
After you drain the oil, the next step is to replace the oil filter. You can start by removing the cap attached to it and unscrew the oil filter with a wrench. Keep in mind that some more oil will come out of the engine, so dont forget to place the drain pan underneath the filter.
Notably, oil filters are available in different types, including the self-contained units that you can twist using your hand, while others are paper-made. For the paper filters, unscrew the cap, remove the paper filter and replace it with a new one before sealing. Wrap your older filter in a newspaper so that you can later take it to a recycling center. Follow these simple steps;
- Remove the current oil filter .
- Allow the opening to drain completely.
- Clean the opening with a clean rag or paper towel.
- Open the new bottle and dip your finger into it and rub some oil across the rim of the new filter.
- Fix the new oil filter and firmly seal it.
Although the amount of oil that will come out of the filter is less than that in the drain pan, you still have to be careful. To avoid the risk of burning yourself, be sure to wear gloves throughout the whole process. When you replace the filter, wipe it and the pan again to avoid spotting leaks down the drain.
Collect Essential Information About Your Car
Before anything else, youll need to buy oil and an oil filter. But if you know nothing about your car, you cant get the specific oil and filter type you need. Thats why its vital to gather essential details about the car. You will need to track down the vehicles year of manufacture, make, oil type, model, and engine displacement size.
You can retrieve most of this information from your cars manual. Alternatively, your vehicle may have a sticker on the interior where you can check the type of oil you require. When you get the needed information, you can visit any car part store and purchase that type of oil and filter. The manual should indicate the exact amount of oil required to fill your car. Besides the new oil and filter, you will also need:
Before you get under your car, you can run it for a few minutes to warm the oil inside. This helps make the old oil flow out easily.
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How To Safely Dispose Of Oil
If you’re a do-it-yourself mechanic, you probably already know how to maintain your car, including changing the oil. Store your used motor oil in a clean, leak-proof container like a plastic milk jug or an empty oil bottle. Make sure the cap is tightly sealed on the container, and store it in a cool, dry place away from heat, sunlight, kids, and pets. Many auto parts stores also sell drip pans that double as used oil receptacles.
Used motor oil can’t be recycled if it’s mixed with other liquids like antifreeze or brake fluid, so keep your vehicle’s other liquids separated.
Oil filters can be recycled, too, and most states won’t allow you to toss an undrained oil filter in the trash. If you have a used oil filter, use a screwdriver or other tool to puncture a hole in the dome end of the filter, ideally while it’s still warm. Allow the oil filter to drain into the used oil container for several hours.
What Happens To My Used Oil Materials
From the backyard mechanic to businesses or municipalities with large fleets of vehicles, every drop of used oil, every container and every filter that is captured in the Program for recycling helps keep our landfills and waterways safe from contamination. In 2019-20 alone, Albertans recycled 86.6 million litres of used oil, 4.5 million filters and 2.4 million kg of oil containers.
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Environmental Benefits Of Synthetic Oil
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Everyone has that phrase ingrained into their mind. Many drivers are used to the standard 3,000-mile oil change. But another great way to reduce waste oil is to avoid making as much in the first place.
AMSOIL pioneered the one-year oil change interval, and its prevented millions of gallons of used oil from entering the supply stream ever since.
Today,;AMSOIL Signature Series;Synthetic Motor Oil still provides guaranteed protection for up to 25,000 miles or one year. Compared to 3,000-mile oil changes, that equates to eight fewer oil changes per year, significantly reducing waste oil.
Basic Information On Handling Used Oil At Home
If you are one of the many people who change their own motor oil, you too need to know how to properly manage the used oil. After all, used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water a years supply for 50 people! When handling used oil, be sure to take these key points into consideration:
- Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent, and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
- Its slow to degrade.
- It sticks to everything from beach sand to bird feathers.
- Its a major source of oil contamination of waterways and can result in pollution of drinking water sources.
Are you a Do-It Yourselfer do you change the oil in your car at home? On average, about four million people reuse motor oil as a lubricant for other equipment or take it to a recycling facility. If you plan to recycle your used oil, take care not to spill any when you collect it and place it in a leak-proof can or container.
Check with local automobile maintenance facilities, waste collectors, and government waste officials to see when and where you can drop off your used oil for recycling. Dont forget to drain and recycle used oil filters as wellusually you can drop off the filters at the same collection centers where you deposit used oil.
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Capturing Your Used Motor Oil
Lets start with a few important tips to keep in mind when changing your own oil:
Why You Must Recycle
Small quantities of motor oil can do quite a bit of damage to the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , the used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of water. The EPA also notes that used oil can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that may affect the health of people and wildlife.
Recycled oil actually goes through a re-refining process that makes it suitable for use in vehicles again. In fact, EPA lab testing shows recycled oil can outperform virgin oil in some situations. Reclaiming oil in this way not only keeps the spent oil out of the environment, but significantly reduces the need for new oil. Although it takes 42 gallons of crude oil to produce 2-1/2 quarts of refined virgin motor oil, re-refining creates that same amount of engine-ready product from only one gallon of used oil. Furthermore, re-refining uses far less energy to process.
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