What can I do with a bucket of used oil?

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I've got a 5 gallon bucket completely full of AFT, gear oil, and motor oil. Most auto parts places that take used oil won't take it in "bulk" like this will they? What can I do with it?
 
Transfer it to 1 gallon bottles and take it to a recycler.

In NY all the places that sell oil have to have a policy on returning used oil and an apparatus in place to do so.

I would be surprised if a green state such as Oregon doesn't have a similar type set up.

The wholesale clubs such as Costco or Sam's probably have an easy return area.
 
Check with your town or county for bulk disposal of hazardous materials.

If that's inconvenient, most gas stations I've asked seemed happy to take it back in quart bottles. I think most of them sell it and/or are required to show the amount they are recycling, which should be similar to the amount they sell.

AFAIK the used oil is then turned into asphalt or burned in some sort of indusrial facility like a co-generation plant. Use the bottles the new oil came in. Otherwise, fish some out of the trash at the gas station (don't forget the caps).

Any other option is environmentally damaging.
 
I use the gallon bottles my wife buys laundry detergent in. Milk bottles are so flimsy they leak. My local Iffy Lube takes the 3 gallons I always seem to have on hand when I go to empty the drain pan. So far I haven't had a dog step in a drain pan I left setting in the garage until I made it to Iffy Lube.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Robbie Alexander:
What about BURNING it in a small BARNfire

BOA...Burned Oil Analysis. I heard Chevron and Pennzoil smell better than Valvoline when burning.
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I take all my used oil in a 5 gal gas container (that was only used for old oil) to the local Havoline oil change place. They're always happy to help me with that. I think THEY appreciate that the consumer isn't just dumping oil anywhere.
 
quote:

Originally posted by guitargeek:
Just dump it on the ground. That's what I always do.

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That's probably better than putting it down either a storm drain or household drain, but if you do that please make sure it's in small quantities and away from anyone's well or ground water supply (including your own). That way by the time it finds its way to a drinking water supply bacteria will have had enough time to break it down en route.

[ December 06, 2003, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: 1781cc ]
 
"I've got a 5 gallon bucket completely full of ATF, gear oil, and motor oil. Most auto parts places that take used oil won't take it in "bulk" like this will they? What can I do with it?"

Yes, they will, but most recycling centers have
a daily per person limit that they can, by law,
accept. In CA, it's 5 gallons.

If you can't find a place to accept your used
oil, it's simply because you haven't looked.

Chumley
 
I drive right to the corner of the garage at Wal*Mart and pour the old stuff right into their giant recycling tank, no need to even ask anymore. I buy most of my oil there anyway, that makes sense, to take it back to where you buy. I would support a retailer that offers recycling rather than a supermarket or other place.
 
Fence preservative, auto carriage underbody early fall anti-rust, or, my own favorite, drenching the fire ant mounds I get from neighbors unconvinced by an all-organic program:

Drench mound thoroughly (after a quick dig in center with post-holer), soak thoroughly (about a quarter-gallon for our clay soil); wait ten minutes and light off with a touch of gasoline.

Sit and contemplate the screams, compare them to the many, many, many bites you had as a child. Much better than AMDRO and that other junk sold that rarely works.

Come back next day, dig it all up and send to dump. Or use as weed preventative along fenceline, house, if you have grasses that spread on and under soil as we do. A little, spread widely, goes a long way.

I send the rest to Walmart or county recycling center.
 
This is what I use to get the oil from my Blitz oil drain pan to containers suitable to haul it back to a recycling center.

First use large containers. I really like an old Mobil 1 large jug. It holds 5 quarts, is sturdy, and has a large mouth. I don't even have to use a funnel. I pour it into Walmart's bin and reuse the jug.

If I just have containers that have smaller mouths (like milk jugs or a Pennzoil 5 qt jug). I make a throwaway funnel using a 16oz water bottle (like Dasani or Aquafina). Cut the bottom half off the bottle with a utility knife and discard. Take the upper half and it fits perfectly without having to have someone hold the funnel.
 
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Here the county has a recycling center that I take it too. For some reason
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oil drop-off is free but you have to pay a little bit to drop-off antifreeze.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Grease is the word:
This is what I use to get the oil from my Blitz oil drain pan to containers suitable to haul it back to a recycling center.
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Yeah that would work, but what about AutoRepair shops that use the gallon or 5L containers, why not do a little QUid Pro QUo -- if not then just ask.
 
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