How Do You Dispose of Used Oil?

If all the used oil from people in the United States alone who changed their own oil were re-used and recycled, there would be enough motor oil from that population alone to power 50 million automobiles each year. The used oil from just one oil change can contaminate 1 million gallons of fresh water-a year’s supply of drinking water for fifty people.

During normal use of marine engine oil, impurities such as dirt, toxic chemicals, and heavy metal scrapings can mix in with the oil, causing it not to perform as well as it once did. Used oil must be replaced periodically to help machines run their smoothest. Used motor oil is slow to degrade, adheres to everything from bird feathers to beach sand, and is a major contaminant in waterways and is a potential pollutant of drinking water sources. On average, 4 million people reuse motor oil for other equipment or take it to a facility with recycling capabilities. Used motor oil from automobiles, motorcycles, farm equipment, and landscaping equipment, as well as boats, can be recycled. Recycled used motor oil can be reinvented as new oil, processed into fuel oils, and serve as raw materials for the petroleum industry. One gallon of used motor oil produces the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil can.