Lowell Sun: Motor oil can be recycled, too
Filed under: Earth 911 - August 20, 2007
08/20/2007
Do-it-yourself auto maintenance can save you time and money, but you should be careful with used motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, dead batteries and other automotive waste.
Handled or discarded improperly, these items pose serious risks to your health and the environment. The state Department of Environmental Protection wants to help you do the right thing — motor oil can be recycled.
According to the EPA, more than 40 percent of our nation’s oil pollution comes from the improper disposal of used motor oil. Used motor oil should always be recycled — never thrown in the trash, dumped on the ground, or poured into the sewer or down the drain.
Currently, used motor oil can be reused one of three ways: reconditioning, reprocessing or re-refining. Seventy-four percent of all oil recycling in the U.S. is for burning in turbines, incinerators, power plants, cement kilns and manufacturing facilities.
Used motor oil may contain potentially toxic substances, additives, contaminants and carcinogens. Because of these impurities, used motor oil should be disposed of correctly to ensure the safety of the environment.
Collect oil in a clean container with a screw cap, such as the original container, or a clean, labeled plastic jug. Do not mix other lubricants, such as brake or transmission fluid. Cap container to keep out dirt and water. Do not bring oil in bleach or cleaner bottles, or containers that previously held chemicals. Clean spills with kitty litter, vermiculite or rags, place in a bag and dispose of in the trash. Dirty oil filters can be disposed of in the trash, as long as you take proper precautions. Remove remaining oil by puncturing the filter and draining over a container. Drain filters on a rack for 12 hours while they are hot. Add recovered oil to the oil you previously drained from your engine. Finally, wrap the filter carefully in a rag and throw it away.
Return used oil to the store where it was purchased. Retailers in Massachusetts are required to accept oil for recycling if there is a purchase receipt. AutoZone, Advance Auto and Consumer Auto Parts will accept up to 2 gallons of used oil per day, free of charge.
Check with your town for special collections. Household hazardous-waste days are held frequently. Lowell’s next event is Saturday, Sept. 29. There will be a collection in Chelmsford on Saturday, Nov. 3. Tewksbury offers oil drop-off for residents only on the third Saturday of every month at the DPW, 999 Whipple Road. The last Saturday of each month, Lowell residents can bring oil to the Duck Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, 451 First Street Blvd., from 8 a.m. to noon.
For more information, call the DEP used-oil hot line at (617) 556-1022. This number should also be used to report retailers who are unwilling to accept used oil.
For more on oil recycling, go to http://earth911.org. For links to your town’s recycling information, visit: www.MVRecycles.org. For questions or comments visit www.lowellrecycle.org or contact Gunther Wellenstein at (978) 446-7277 or e-mail recycle@lowellma.gov.