So what am I supposed to do with the empty oil containers??

[biggs85]

Well I went to autozone and they wouldn't take the empty oil containers from my oil change. I've always just put them in the garbage next to the oil tank and had no problem. So I asked them what I could do with them and they said to take them to the dump. Well there's gotta be someone else that takes both the oil and containers that's more convient. Any suggestions?

 

[Texplorer]

Your talking about the empty oil containers you have after you pour it in the engine, right? I just always threw them away and took the old oil to autozone.

 

[jimbo74]

you may have recycling in your area for the actual bottles, but most recycling places will not deal with them.... the best thing you can do is just flatten the containers, screw the tops back on, and toss them in a garbage can...... the oil can be recycled at most auto places that sell oil.....

 

[Robert]

Supposedly (according to our local Trash company) any place that sells motor oil, must accept used oil for recycling. I've never tried taking oil back to the 7-Eleven on the corner though and I haven't ever noticed a recycling drum there either so that may not be completely true. It would be interesting though to show up at 7-Eleven with 5 quarts of used oil to drop off Anyway, I take my oil to the local Checker Auto Parts since they are the closest place to me that I know will take it. Within the last couple of months though they have posted signs stating that they can no longer accept the customer's containers and all customers dropping off oil, are required to take their container with them. On my Quakerstate bottles, it states "Save resources, recycle used oil and containers". Our city has blue recycling containers so I recycle my empty containers there. I've never gotten a letter from the city complaining about it but I'm sure it could depend on the city in which you live.

 

[mrboyle]

Considering plastic is petroleum based, I can't see why you couldn't place the empty containers (as long as they are plastic) in any plastic recycling bin.

 

[Opera House]

You have to expect it would come to this

Getting rid of trash is expensive. Think of the volume of all those returned containers. I remember some places used to take your oil only if you brought it back in the drain pan/container that they sold. I saw this rack being sold that would hold about ten bottles upside down and drain into another. Over a day or two the bottles become fairly clean.

 

[Black Magic]

My dad said that he worked at a shop when he was a kid and the guy would keep every bottle upside down over a 5 gal bucket and eventually it would be filled up with just the left over oil from empty cans.

Oh yea, I just through my empty containers away.

Another side note. I remember when I was a kid helping my dad change his oil. He would just dump the old oil out in the ditch at the end of the drive way. That was 20 years ago though. NO EPA then.

 

[kkreit01]

Originally posted by Black Magic
Another side note. I remember when I was a kid helping my dad change his oil. He would just dump the old oil out in the ditch at the end of the drive way. That was 20 years ago though. NO EPA then.

Ditto! We did the same on a farm in ND. Now he pours the used oil back into a 55 gal. drum.

I just throw my used containers in the trash, and take the oil to Autozone.

 

[lonestar]

Just toss them in the barrel in front of the store, along with everybody that decides to change their oil in the parking lot.

I usually pour my old oil back in to container (5qt bottle), hand them the container of old oil and walk out.
My problem is oil filters. WHat do you do with them? I just trash them.

 

[Opera House]

We're just a disposable society

Some underdeveloped country would find something to do with the old oil filters. If you cut them open there is a lot of metal you can recycle. That reminds me of a story about Shell Oil when they first entered the Orient. They figured they could undercut everyone by delivering lamp oil in tankers. The competition shipped in 5 gal tins. They reasoned everyone would have some empty 5 gal tins around from the other guys and they would be happy to buy from a large tank at a cheaper price. Hardly anyone bought because they wanted the tins for making things. They had to ship in a freighter of empty tins to sell the lamp oil.

 

[Rhett]

Another side note. I remember when I was a kid helping my dad change his oil. He would just dump the old oil out in the ditch at the end of the drive way. That was 20 years ago though. NO EPA then.

Did you live in Times Beach back then? (j/k)

 

[unclemeat]

EPA regulations allow for disposal of "empty" containers which contain regulated or hazardous materials. These empty containers are considered to normal solid waste and can legally be disposed of in any permitted landfill.

 

[Black Magic]

Originally posted by Rhett Browning
Did you live in Times Beach back then? (j/k)

That's Funny! But, No.