Depose of Oil

It's a violation of state and federal laws to dump oil on or in the ground. It contaminates water tables and poisons ecosystems. All towns and cities have pickup points for used oil and other household chemicals, and used motor oil actually has economic value. Every major parts store that I've been in will take waste oil, such as AutoZone, PEP Boys, and WalMart. Even gas stations that do service on cars should be able to take used oil because they sell it to recyclers.

JazzMan

It's Mr. Rather B. Beachen to you

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Many people use it to kill unwanted grass on sidewalk cracks and fence rows.

I know a farmer who lets the used oil from his trucks and cars sit in a 55gal drum to separate the sludge, then he skims the top and burn it with his heating oil to heat the house and shop. Why don't you do the same?

phone calls to three auto parts stores in Riverside, CA:

'can you take my used motor oil?

"yes, sure, bring it in"

I arrive at the stores:

"sorry, our tank is full"

repeated at all three stores

JazzMan wrote in article ...

That was true a few decades ago.

After the "recycled oil" market dipped and waste oil value plummeted, we had local rose growers who used to take it away for nothing to use for heating their greenhouses, but that's gone by the boards these days with the regulations concerning the handling of waste oil.

Since waste oil has been classified as a "hazardous material", I haven't found ANYBODY who is willing to pay *me* for the privilege of taking it off my hands and absolve me of all the responsibility associated with handling it safely.

(Even the guys who change your parts cleaner solvent ask you to sign a statement that you will be responsible for the hazardous material even while it is being transported in their possession....but, that's another story.)

While I am aware of NOBODY who "buys" hazardous waste, I know several businesses who DO collect fees for waste oil disposal services nowadays.

Even the retailers who once used it as a "nice guy" P.R. ploy have backed off publicizing that they will take your waste oil. Some are quite grudging in taking it off your hands because it costs them money to dispose of it.

I am fortunate in having friends who heat their shops with waste-oil heaters who gladly take the relatively small amount of old oil that my shop generates off my hands 55 gallons at a time. I simply swap one full drum for one empty one. I don't generate enough in my shop to justify my own waste oil heater.

Try to find a shop near you such as a construction or truck fleet garage that uses a waste-oil heater, and they will likely take it off your hands.

You can probably use a couple of five-gallon containers to store it in which will cut down on the frequency of your trips.

Bob Paulin - R.A.C.E. Race Car Chassis Setup and Dial-in Services

It'd help to know where you live. Here in MA, I either have someone bring it to the local dump or I return it to the store I bought it from.

Chris

I live in Western Kentucky in Trigg County. For now I will put the drained oil in a 55 steel gal drum. I like the idea of using the oil in a waste heater and I will try that.

Is there a recycle facility in your area? They may have a provision for disposal.

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|> It'd help to know where you live. Here in MA, I either have someone bring |> it to the local dump or I return it to the store I bought it from. |>

|> Chris |>

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Rex in Fort Worth

See if any of these links help:

Pouring it onto the ground, especially where it could get into either or surface or ground water, is something that really shouldn't have been done even in the Bad Old Days. That's how the mysterious place behind the barn where nothing grows often came to be. Burning used motor oil in an oil furnace strikes me as a mixed blessing because of the contaminants and additives, but certainly beats the heck out of just pouring it out, and it seems widely enough done as an official and ad hoc practice. Probably best to recycle it if feasible, once you've saved up a reasonable amount.

Best of luck,

--Joe

Here in Oregon the garbage haulers will take used oil if set out in the curbside recycling. In fact all auto parts stores that sell oil will take used oil.

It's my understanding that the state DEQ had an exemption placed in the law specifically for used motor oil. It is classed as a hazardous waste, as it should be. However unlike all other hazardous wastes, you do not need a permit to handle it.

You really ought to call your state government rep and put a bug in his ear to get the laws in your state adjusted.

Ted

There are special heaters that will allow this. There is also an additive you can put in the oil that will allow you to add it to fuel oil and burn in any home oil furnace. See your oil delivery company, they should know about this. Don't add it to your home oil tank unless you get a special heater or use an additive as you can cause problems with your burner.

Note that environmental rules often restrict the burning of such oil since it contains metals and other toxic pollutants. If you have to choose though, it's much better to burn it than it is to pollute the aquifer and your own well with oil. It doesn't take much to pollute the supply since oil *always* makes it's way into the water supply.