Does Anyone Really Recycle Oil?

[Bruzilla]

I remember when auto parts stores always advertised that they collect used engine oil, but more and more every store I go to, be it Autozone, Advance, O'Reillys' NAPA, etc., all have signs on the door that read "OIL TANK IS FULL." I've quit taking my used oil when I go to get parts because every single time I'm told they can't accept it.

So I'm wondering if anyone else is seeing this, or is there just an issue with getting reclaimers to pick up oil in Florida?

 

[moparnation74]

I never had that issue here of the tanks being full......Depends on where you live possibly and the truck routes....

 

[1967coronet440]

They always tell me the tank is full, no matter where I go it seems

 

[Bruzilla]

I would think they would do everything they could to get that oil as that's free money for them when they sell it.

 

[crash89]

I collect mine and take it to the recycling center at the dump close to my house. That's actually closer than the auto parts store for me so it is convenient.

 

[moparnation74]

I would think they would do everything they could to get that oil as that's free money for them when they sell it.

I really doubt it is truly "free" money...once you factor everything in the store has to deal with that big tank in the back...

 

[440+6]

I bring a full five gallon plastic container to oriellys and never been turned away in all these years

 

[66Satellite47]

I have a county recycling center that takes mine, so no problem here.

 

[Dennis H]

Curbside pickup in San Jose. City provides container and bag for filter. Service is not free, but included in regular trash/recycle/trimming pick up fee.

 

[RT K_line]

The last shop I worked at got paid for their used oil but since oil prices dropped they are charging for oil pickup now.

 

[scottmann27]

I made diesel fuel out of for a while. and use to sell it (when i had too much) but as long gas prices are low you cant hardly find people to take it

 

[Moparsmitty]

I have a county recycling center that takes mine, so no problem here.

Same here. I can take a maximum of 5 gallons of waste oil per day to my county recycling center. They also take anti-freeze, trans/hydraulic fluid, waste gas, paint, etc. For some reason they don't recycle filters, they just tell me to drain 'em and throw them in the trash.

 

[Bruzilla]

I was thinking the issue might be very few houses heat with oil down here, so if they recycle it into heating oil that wouldn't be a market.

 

[mmissile]

Mine always goes to my old place of employment. I put it in 5gal race-fuel jugs.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Not too many perks here in the frozen tundra but there are a lot of shops that heat their buildings with used oil so we have no trouble getting rid of it. I have a couple 5 gallon containers and have a choice of a half dozen places to dump them. No so in a lot of places. I know when I was visiting my Niece in the St Louis area a few years ago, I changed oil in her Challenger and only found one parts store in the area that would take it. They wanted $1.00 per quart to dump it. I ended up carting it back to Wisconsin.

 

[69a100]

Hey Bru- Why not call the Corp. offices of these places and ask them what the heck is up that they won't take it?

 

[PRND21]

When the price of crude is up the salvage oil companies will buy it, but it has to be OIL. No water, coolant, diesel fuel, etc. and they test it before they pump it. I've got a 1000 gal tank I pour mine in, takes me a while to fill it so I can wait out the market. I was told that some of it gets refined back into lubricating oil, a lot of it goes into asphalt.

 

[747mopar]

Nah, it works way to good for getting fires going to just give away.

 

[Budnicks]

Our Napa/Debco parts stores take it too,
our landfill dump does also it has to be in a sealed container
they set it aside with a bunch of others & it's picked up
by a waste oil recycler co., IIRC it goes to make fuel for
"oil-shop-heaters" ironically that are sold out of state, not here,
they are pretty particular it has to be separated no mixed oils,
no trans-fluid, anti-freeze etc., it all need to be separated...
Or they won't take it...

 

[PurpleBeeper]

By Federal law, if you sell oil, you MUST accept used oil. That includes Walmart, your local 7/11....everybody.