Recycle Your Used Motor Oil

February 1, 2021

Beginning a New Year marks a fresh start for Californians.  Some resolutions are personal while other goals are communal. A popular resolution is to reduce California’s environmental impact as well as one’s own “carbon footprint.”

There are several ways Californians can achieve this goal including recycling, composting and reducing waste. Recycling is one way to help protect the environment. Many Californians know they can recycle glass, plastic and aluminum but one reusable item that is often overlooked is used motor oil.

According to the  American Petrolum Institute, used motor oil can be reprocessed and used in furnaces for heat or in power plants to generate electricity for homes, schools and businesses.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling and reusing used motor oil can also provide great environmental benefits for California; it can be re-refined into new oil or processed into fuel oils which reduces the need to produce “new” oil.  Additionally, steel collected from used oil filters can be recycled to make cars, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and other appliances.

It is crucial that used motor oil and oil filters are disposed of correctly and not poured down the drain, in the trash, on the ground or in the storm drain because they are extremely harmful to the environment. Properly store used motor oil until you are able to recycle it. Pour it into a clean container with a tight lid or purchase containers designed to store used motor oil. Make sure the oil does not get mixed up with any other liquid, including water.

Recycle the used oil filter by placing it in a clean, leak-proof container (after draining it) such as a zipper-type plastic bag or an old coffee can. Take your used motor oil and filter to a Certified Collection Center for recycling. Doing this can ensure a greener New Year and  a cleaner California! For more information, visit CleanLA.com