The proper disposal of motor oil (or dinosaur oil as some call it) can cause problems if you do not know how to properly handle the oil. Help is available. Recycling the oily, sticky stuff is environmentally friendly. Most states do not allow it to be poured down drains or thrown away in trash, find out more!

Why? It’s not rocket science. In case you didn’t already know this, the oil that is poured down drains or into storm sewers will seep eventually and end up in lakes, streams or wetlands. Oil can coat innocent animals and cause them to die. Everything from feathers of birds to sand on the beach will stick to oil. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims that one change of oil could contaminate a million gallons or freshwater. It’s enough to supply 50 people with oil for an entire year. There are many terrible consequences of failing to take the necessary time to recycle motor oil. Here are some ways that you can safely recycle your motor oil.

Use a plastic container with a lid that is tightly sealed. Mixing oil with solvents, antifreeze, other gases or oils is not recommended. Purify the oil as much as you can. You can recycle every last drop. Bring your used oil into a local recycling center or service station. Try searching online to find an oil recycling facility near you. You will find a recycling oil business in your locality 99% of time.

The used oil filter can be disposed of properly, as well. Once you have removed the used oil filter, punch an airhole at the top to drain out any remaining oil. Drain the oil completely. The process takes between 12 and 24 hours. You can then safely discard it.

It is a good idea to recycle motor oil for many different reasons. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that, in average, four million Americans reuse motor oil to lubricate equipment or recycle it. Today, motor oil can be re-refined into a new oil that is used as a raw material in petroleum industries. The same quantity of oil is produced by one gallon used motor oil as 42 gals of crude oil.