In most cars, engine oil needs to be replaced at least once per year, and usually more often. Some owners change the engine oil ourselves, while many people take their car to a certified mechanic to do it for them. One thing most people don't think about is where does the engine oil end? Does it get recycled? Does it get disposed of in some other way?

Aside from saving a bit of money on labor costs, you'll be doing a lot in protecting the environment from the harmful effects of disposing of used engine oil inappropriately. In this article, we'll talk more about engine oil recycling, and how you can dispose of used engine oil.

Benefits of Recycling Your Motor Oil

Recycling used engine oil has many benefits, whether it's from a car, truck, or any other vehicle. All the benefits of recycling old engine oil can be classified into two categories - environmental benefits and financial benefits.

Environmental protection is the first and most obvious benefit of recycling used motor oil. By recycling used engine oil, you'll prevent it from reaching landfills, waterways, and other sensitive ecosystems. Engine oil can quickly and easily contaminate soil and water, thus harming wildlife in the process. By simply recycling used engine oil, you can make a contribution to prevent this from happening.

Used engine oil can also be reused. By cleaning and processing used engine oil, lubricants can be made that have a wide range of application possibilities. This reduces the amount of waste, saves energy, and reduces gas emissions associated with the production of new oil.

When it comes to the financial benefits, many oil recycling companies buy used oil from car owners and garages which can reduce the cost of oil replacement. It's not a significant amount, but aside from protecting the environment, you'll also save a bit on every oil change.

How to Recycle Your Oil

There's no definitive guide to recycling old engine oil mostly because the process depends on the place you live in. The process it undergoes is beyond complicated, and the only thing you can do is to take the used engine oil and get it to a garage or mechanic that you know recycles used engine oil.

Collect the Used Oil

The recycling process actually starts by collecting the used engine oil. If you're changing your own engine oil, you're fully aware that in most cars, the engine oil is drained from the oil pan of the car. The amount of oil that goes in the car depends on the engine size, and you should expect a similar amount of oil when you're draining it from the engine. Keep in mind that you should do this when the engine is warm so most of the old oil will drain.

One thing to remember is to include your old oil filter as well. Although it seems like a small contribution, oil filters include the dirtiest parts of the oil, and should be recycled appropriately.

Prepare for Transport

If you saved an old oil container, you can use that to collect and store the used oil and transport it safely. Milk cartons or other types of bottles aren't a good choice to pack used engine oil.

When transporting, make sure the container is placed in an upright position, so accidental spills will be avoided. Used engine oil will stick to anything, and it's incredibly difficult to clean, especially if you have light-colored seats or carpets.

The most important thing about preparing old engine oil for storage and transport is that the oil mustn't be mixed with any other type of fluid. If it's mixed with other fluids, the oil won't be recyclable.

Take the Oil to a Recycling Center

The last step in recycling used engine oil is to bring the engine oil to a recycling center, or your city's recycling program. If you do a simple Google search, you'll find the nearest place where you can take your old engine oil for recycling. Once their storage is full, they'll have someone transport it in bulk to the recycler.

How Your Recycled Oil Will be Used

Aside from reducing the negative impact on the environment, used engine oil is used for manufacturing a number of other products.

Some of the most common uses of recycled engine oil include:

• Lubricants
• Fuel
• Energy generation
• Raw material

Engine oil is primarily used as a lubricant. Used engine oil can be cleaned and used as a lubricant for industrial internal combustion engines, gearboxes, hydraulic systems and much more.

After going through a few complex processes, used engine oil can be made into diesel fuel. This type of fuel isn't usually used in sensitive car engines, but rather in marine or industrial applications.

Used engine oil is also used as a raw material for manufacturing a number of things. Things such as asphalt, rubber, and paint can be made by using old engine oil.

Lastly, used engine oil can be used in energy generation. It's interesting that it takes around two gallons of used engine oil to create enough electricity to power an average household for 24 hours! That's just how big of an impact it has, and why it's important to recycle your old engine oil.

Conclusion

Recycling your old engine oil should be your priority every time your vehicle needs an oil change. Not only will you keep your garage clean, but you'll also do a favor to the environment! This will keep beautiful nature as gorgeous as it could be, and it will prevent the land from becoming contaminated.

The thing is, one person can't make a difference alone, but you can set an example for others to follow, which can turn out to be a huge success in keeping the great outdoors great, so remember what you've read. Next time you're doing regular maintenance on your car, check all the scrap parts and fluids that can be recycled, pack them, and transport them to the appropriate center.