Changing your own oil can save money, but it also leaves you with a bunch of used motor oil that needs to be handled properly. Instead of throwing it away or pouring it down the drain or in your yard, used motor oil can be collected, recycled, and turned into a useful resource again.
Steps for Recycling
- Collect The Oil. Drain your oil into a clean, leakproof container with a secure cap. An empty motor oil container works the best.
- Keep It Separate. Do not mix your used oil with any other chemicals such as antifreeze, gas, or even water. This will make recycling nearly impossible.
- Find a Collection Location. Many auto repair shops and parts stores accept used motor oil. Some other options would be local recycling or transfer stations or household hazardous waste collection facilities or events. You can use Earth911 Recycling Locator to find the best and closest location to you!
- Drop it Off. Bring the sealed container to the collection location and follow their instructions. They will handle the rest
Never pour used motor oil down a drain, onto the ground, or into a storm sewer. Used oil contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals, and a single oil change can contaminate very large amounts of water and damage aquatic environments and wildlife.
Want to learn more about the environmental benefits of recycling? Read our blog, The Hidden Climate Benefit of Vehicle Recycling: Soil and Water Protection, to discover how responsible recycling helps protect our environment and conserve valuable resources.
What Happens to My Used Oil?
After collection, the oil is transported to a facility where it can be processed and cleaned.
During use, motor oil becomes contaminated with objects such as dirt, metal particles, and other impurities. Recycling facilities remove these contaminants through a series of treatment and refining processes.
One of the most valuable options is re-refining. Used oil is treated to remove contaminants and restore it into a high-quality lubricating oil. Re-refined oil can meet the same performance standards as conventional motor oil and only use one-third the energy to refine it to lubricant quality.
Used oil can also be processed into fuel oils or used as a raw material in petroleum-related industries. In other words, the oil from your last oil change doesn’t necessarily have to become waste-it can become a resource for another product.
Do Not Forget the Oil Filter
Your oil filter can be recycled too! Used filters contain both oil and valuable steel. When properly collected, the remaining oil can be recovered and the steel can be recycled into new metal products. Check with your oil collection location to see if they accept used filters as well or check the “Oil Filter” option on Earth911’s Recycling Locator.
Keep Used Oil Out of Our Environment
Recycling your used motor oil is a small step that can make a meaningful difference. The next time you change your oil, collect it, keep it separate, and take it to a proper collection site. Instead of becoming a source of pollution, your used oil can get another life.