Used Oil and Filter Recycling

What Are the Hazards Of Used Oil?

Used oil can contain such contaminants as lead, magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, chlorides, cadmium, and chlorinated compounds. Oil poured down drains or onto the ground can work its way into our ground and surface waters and cause serious pollution. One gallon of used oil can foul a million gallons of drinking water. Federal reports indicate that used motor oil accounts for more than 40 percent of the total oil pollution of our nation's harbors and waterways.

Can Used Oil Be Recycled?

Yes, used oil is very recyclable. Used oil can be re-refined or processed into fuel oil. In 2010, 120 million gallons of lubricating oil were sold in California. Approximately 20 percent or 24 million gallons, leaked out of engines or was burned. 83 million gallons of the remaining oil was recycled, preventing it from being improperly disposed of down storm drains, into lakes or streams, or thrown in the garbage.  Folsom residents recycle about 3,500 gallons of oil each year.

How Can You Help?

You can participate in oil recycling by following these tips:

• Drain your used oil into a container that has not contained chemicals other than used oil.  The City of Folsom provides free used oil recycling buckets through its Door to Door HHW collection program.  
• Do not mix any other materials, including water, with used oil.
• Take your used oil to a used oil collection site.  The state of California encourages the recycling of used motor oil by certifying used oil recycling collection centers throughout the state.  Certified Used Oil Collection Centers will take used motor oil from the public and will pay you 40¢ a gallon. Most centers will take up to 5 gallons at a time. Folsom's used oil collection centers are listed below.  Certified centers are marked with an asterisk *. Outside of Folsom, find the collection center nearest you by calling 1-800-CLEANUP or on line at earth911 or see California's database of certified used oil collection centers. 

What About The Oil Filter?

If you change your own motor oil, you’re probably changing your oil filter at the same time. Take the last step and recycle the oil filter along with the used oil. Here’s more information on why oil filter recycling is important, and where you can take your oil filters.

Why Recycle Oil Filters?

• Used Oil filters can contain up to 10 ounces of used oil and therefore are considered a hazardous waste and must be properly recycled - not thrown in the trash.  That goes for paper cartridge oil filters as well. 
• Oil filters contain used oil and steel, both are valuable nonrenewable resources.
• Oil filter recycling is good for the environment and easy to do.

Each year California generates 67 million used automotive filters. The filters are considered hazardous waste and are banned from landfills, however, most are also completely recyclable. Each filter has about a pound of re-usable steel. All the filters sold annually in California can be recycled into 67 million pounds of steel, enough to build three large sports stadiums.  Folsom residents recycle thousands of oil filters annually.

In addition to recycling steel, it’s important to recycle oil filters because each oil filter has, on average, around 10 fluid ounces of used motor oil, even after draining!  All of this trapped motor oil adds up to more than two million gallons of used oil going into the environment, the water system or into landfills in California each year from filters that aren’t properly recycled. Oil recovered from the recycled filters is made back into motor oil, closing the loop.

How To Recycle Filters.

There are numerous used oil collection centers that will accept oil filters from the public.

You can recycle used oil filters in Folsom's Door 2 Door HHW collection program.  Drain as much oil from the filter as possible and place your used oil filters in a sealed plastic bag before setting them out for pickup.

Where To Recycle Oil & Filters In Folsom 

FREE Used Oil & Filter Recycling Containers are available now. 

Ask for a Drainer Container or a Bucket.

Call 916-461-6730 to get your free oil container.

Make an appointment  to have your oil and filters picked up.