Where can I get rid of used engine oil?
Tom Vondrasek | 6th May 2023 | 4 minutes to read
In today’s society, recycling and environmental concerns are very important, and disposing of old or used engine oil is not as simple as it used to be. In days gone by, putting it in the rubbish bin was not unusual and it ended up in land fill.
The responsible way of dealing with old or waste oil has changed for the better and there are a lot of places that take waste oil and send it back to a refinery to be reprocessed and then repurposed.
Below we discuss some of the main reasons to recycle engine oil and what can happen if you don’t dispose of your oil properly:
Why You Should Recycle Your Engine Oil
There are a number of reasons that recycling oil is not only beneficial to the environment, but also to you. There can also be serious repercussions if you dispose of your motor oil illegally.
Environmental Impact
A startling fact is that it only takes one litre of engine oil to contaminate one million litres of water. What’s important to realise about this is that you’re likely to produce around four to five litres of used oil every time you do an oil change, meaning that the extra sump oil you dumped down the drain could be causing up to five million litres of water to be contaminated.
Oil is a pollutant in water and will sit on its surface, blocking sunlight and oxygen from getting into the water and negatively impacting wildlife and plants. Fish, aquatic mammals, frogs, and other animals need to draw oxygen from the water to survive, so their habits are heavily impacted when oil enters the water.
Ecosystems in the ocean and our rivers can be heavily affected, which can have devastating knock-on affects that have serious implications for the health of the planet.
Impact on You
Used oil picks up a number of contaminants when it runs through engines and transmissions such as lead, benzene, and dioxins that can be dangerous. If you’re dealing with used oil that is being burnt at low temperatures, you could be breathing in hazardous particles that can damage your lungs and respiratory system.
Another concern is having used oil sitting around in your garage, especially if there is a lot of it, as it can be a potential fire hazard.
Disposing of Engine Oil Responsibly
Disposing of motor oil is not rocket science. What you should not do is tip it down the sink or storm water drain. Old oil washing up in a river, lake, or the sea will contaminate these delicate ecosystems, and trying to pour it into your garden is just as bad, as it will contaminate the soil and damage plants, tree roots, and nearby water sources.
Something to remember is to always keep your empty containers when doing an oil change. These are what you use to drain the oil pan into with the old oil you have removed from your engine. It is designed to hold engine oil and seals well. Do not use a milk, soft drink, or vegetable oil bottles as these are not fit for the purpose of oil disposal.
Oil doesn’t actually wear out, instead just getting dirty. This means that used oils can be recycled and reused, either as industrial burner fuel or even as lubricating oil after being re-refined.
Is It Illegal To Dump Motor Oil?
Throwing motor oil into your rubbish bin or disposing of it by dumping it somewhere is illegal and can result in substantial financial penalties in Victoria and other states if you’re caught doing it. This is because motor oil is considered hazardous waste due to the devastating environmental impact it has when disposed of improperly.
Where To Recycle Motor Oil
Although Repco does not have the facility to send engine oil off to be recycled, recycling oil is actively encouraged by store staff and sites like Recyclingnearyou.com.au are a good way to find a local recycler. Most councils now have recycling plants that dispose of waste that should no longer go into landfills, so a quick look at their website is all it takes to find it.
Council facilities like waste management centres, landfill sites, and transfer stations will often accept used motor oil and various household chemical clean out programs that are run by local councils can be utilised to properly dispose of oil.
Local petrol stations might even take your used oil and certain facilities will take oil filters, old oil-soaked rags, and oil containers and dispose of them for you.
Collectors for Used Oil
If you operate a business like a service station that might produce too much oil to realistically dispose of at a local council facility, then you’ll want to organise oil collectors to come and visit to remove the used oil. The nice thing is that this is often a free service, as used oil is valuable due to its recyclability.
While Repco doesn’t have facilities for recycling oil, we do encourage you to responsibly dispose of your motor oil, and when you’re performing your next oil change, be sure to come to us for your clean engine oil and oil filters.
