Motor oil is a great thing to have in your vehicle, but a terrible thing to have lose in the environment. There are many federal, state and local regulations for how and where to dispose of motor oil, and you can look them up for your area to make sure that you are doing it right. Some basic guidelines exist for shops and home repairs however such as what kinds of containers can be used for dirty oil and where you can take it when you are done.
In a Shop
Auto repair shops and oil change facilities will use a special oil drum for waste oil which can then be taken to recycling facilities designed to clean and repackage the oil for further use as heating oil or marine engine lubricant. Used motor oil cannot usually be recycled for use in automobiles, but no matter how many times it is recycled, it can be used as a lubricant. You can find a raasm waste oil drum for your shop through reputable online retailers as well as other parts and supplies that you need. Usually getting many of them from the same places to save on shipping.
At Home
When you change your own oil at home it is important to make sure that both the oil pan and the old filter are completely drained. You can then put the used oil into the containers the new stuff came from and take both the waste oil and the filter to a shop for proper recycling. It is important to keep your motor oil separate from other vehicle fluids to avoid contaminating it so that it cannot be recycled. Many oil change centers will offer this disposal service for little to no cost. If you dispose of your waste oil in your residential garbage bins or down storm drains, which was common for a long time, you can face fines and be damaging the environment. When waste oil gets into the water supply it can be difficult to get out and create a health hazard for people and wildlife alike.
Motor oil is essential for the smooth operation of most vehicles on the road these days, but it is important to dispose of waste oil in the proper manner so that you do not contaminate the environment or incur fines. You can recycle waste motor oil by keeping it separate from other vehicle fluids and taking it to a shop which offers the service. These shops put the oil in a specially designed drum and take it to a certified recycling center.
