DIY NorCal Riders--The How and Where of Oil and Filter Recycling

Oil and Filter Recycling

So, you do your own oil and filter changes, or want to start. Excellent. Definitely a skill we should all have, right?

DIY oil change
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These days, though, besides a touch of mechanical know how, part of the oil change drill is finding a way to responsibly recycle your used oil and filters.

Ok, now what?

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It's pretty easy—here is a list of links and phone numbers you can use to pinpoint convenient oil and filter recycling locations in your area, or get it picked up by your trash haulers. PM me if you want a specific area added that you don't see here, or have any other questions.

General Links

Riders Recycle is a city and county-funded educational initiative that encourages riders to recycle their used oil and filters, and gives them tools to get it done. There's a list of recycling options by area, a blog (with a growing number of how-to oil change photoessays, a V-Strom engine teardown, etc.), and a searchable list of motorcycling coupons offered by local retailers in Northern California—including good parts discounts, cheap oil changes, and even a free dyno run. http://www.ridersrecycle.com/

CalRecycle general search tool (by city and county); plug in your city or zip code, and this tool will bring up a list of the nearest places you can bring your used oil and filters: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/UsedOil/Reports/CenterSearch/Default.aspx?lang=en-US

Oil/Filter Recycling by City

San Francisco: Free home collection is available, call 415-330-1405 for pick-up. Place oil in a sturdy screw-top jug, drain your filter and put it in a good ziploc bag, and put it out on the curb on garbage pickup night, near your trash can. There is also a used motor oil and filter collection program which has 29 retail collection sites (O’Reilly Auto Parts, Jiffy Lubes and so forth) for DIY oil changers. Visit sfenvironment.org/ecofinder to find a collection center.

Oakland: The city will send you recycling materials free: Email recycling@oaklandnet.com or call (510) 238-SAVE for a free oil and oil filter recycling kit, including two sturdy gallon jugs, instructions, and a special oil filter recycling bag. (Used oil and filters will only be accepted in containers provided by Oakland Recycles.) They'll even leave a replacement oil jug and oil filter bag. For a list of drop-off recycling retailers (O'Reilly's, several oil change businesses, etc.), click here: http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index...onstep=2&Go2DropDown=hm&Mat=FIL&record_page=2

San Jose: Offers free home collection of used oil and filters. Call (408) 282-4400 to order free city-issued used oil jugs and filter bags (Used oil and filters will only be accepted in their jugs and bags, but will leave replacement jugs and bags for each full one they pick up on collection day). A list of 46 local oil/filter recycling drop-off retailers is available here: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/UsedOil/Reports/CenterSearch/Default.aspx?lang=en-US

Oil/Filter Recycling by County

Marin: http://www.marinrecycles.org/Docs/RecycleGuide_2011.pdf
Oil and filters are accepted at several retailers and hazardous waste collection centers in the county. Oil should be in a sealed container and filters should be drained and sealed in a plastic bag. Main Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 415-485-6806.

Alameda: http://www.stopwaste.org/docs/oilchart.pdf
Curbside recycling of oil and filters available in many cities—check the online chart for details. Oil should be in sealed containers; filters should be drained and bagged. Another list is linked here. http://stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=36&actionview=Go2&actionstep=2&Go2DropDown=hm&Mat=aeo

Contra Costa: http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/recycle/options/oil.htm
Some areas have curbside oil and filter recycling programs; a list of other hazardous waste disposal centers and businesses that accept oil and filters is available. 1 (800) 750-4096 or cccrecycle@yahoo.com.

San Francisco: http://www.sfenvironment.org/recyclewhere?search=oil+filter
A variety of businesses and hazardous waste disposal centers accept used oil and filters. The SF Environment website has a search tool for each zip code.

San Mateo: http://www.flowstobay.org/cs_usedoil.php
Several areas offer curbside recycling of oil and filters; a map of drop-off locations for other areas is located at: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214549665562986104422.0004bc7cf77ba08a2defb&msa=0

Santa Clara: http://www.sccgov.org/sites/deh/HMC...te Home/Pages/Certified-Used-Oil-Centers.aspx
Certified Collection Centers accept used oil and filters for recycling; some may pay up to 16 cents/gal. for used oil. List of collection centers is here: http://www.sccgov.org/sites/deh/HMC...aste Home/Documents/CERTIFIED CENTER LIST.pdf

Solano: http://www.co.solano.ca.us/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=11475
City by city—most require bringing oil/filters to local Household Hazardous Waste acceptance facility.

Napa: http://www.naparecycling.com/motor_oil
Pour oil into reusable container with tight lid, drain filter and place in plastic bag. Call 707-255-5200 to receive a used oil container and filter bag for free, and to schedule curbside pickup. A list of public and private businesses that accept used oil and filters is provided; some will pay up to 40 cents/gal. For used oil.

Sonoma: http://www.recyclenow.org/toxics/curbside_mtr_oil.asp
Most areas offer curbside oil/filter recycling; call your local garbage company. Most offer free plastic bags for recycling oil filters, as well as jugs for recycling used oil.

Sacramento: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/Library/Outreach/SacRecycle/RecyclngGuid.pdf
Call toll free number—916-808-4800 to schedule pickup; place oil in clear jug and seal, drain filter and place in plastic bag, set on curb near trash carts.

El Dorado: http://www.eldoradodisposal.com/pdf/recyclinghandout.pdf
Call 530-626-4141 to schedule curbside pickup of oil only; place used oil in 1 gallon screw-top clear container and place curbside; up to 5 gallons accepted.

Yolo: http://www.yolocounty.org/Index.aspx?page=442
Take to local waste or recycling center or landfill, or bring to a participating retail or service shop (some will pay up to 16 cents/gallon for used oil). Woodland (530-662-8748) and West Sacramento (916-617-4589) offer curbside recycling when scheduled in advance.


In all cases, you should drain filters for at least a few hours before bagging them up, and keep motor oil uncontaminated with antifreeze, gas, or any other fluids—if it is contaminated (gasoline got in your crankcase or your head gasket failed and got coolant in the oil, for example), it has to get taken to your local Hazardous Waste Collection Center.

you can take ur used oil/filters into ANY place that sells u oil to recycle!!!!

thats the law!!!

and they cannot turn u away cause there is water/gas or other contaminates in it!

i like to use autozone, i walk in there like i own the place-already know where the tank is- wheel the oil in on my dolly right to the tank and pour away!

Do you know of documentation on that? There's an auto-zone near me that rejects my oil on a regular basis because of contaminates. There's another place that never rejects it but the auto-zone is closer.

Its probably your haircut.

What about my 55 gallon drum of used oil?

Signed,perplexed in Butte County.

Aww I thought this was about how to recycle your oil yourself. Like turning it into diesel fuel (youtube) or using it in a stove to heat your home (youtube)

Sadly, my understanding is that retail places can reject oil with contaminants in it. Both that and the 55-gallon drum probably have to go to the household hazardous waste place closest to you.

Only DIY suggestion I have is to turn over those freshly pulled oil filters, insert a wick, and make a nice smoky candle.

I dunno about state law requiring them to accept oil but I can understand it on a business basis. It costs more to remove such contaminates. In fact if you are going to DIY recycle oil into diesel fuel it takes extra (somewhat expensive) effort to remove such contaminates. This means they can probably sell to recyclers for a higher price clean oil vs dirty oil.

Curbside oil recycling? Way to go Oakland.

Thanks for posting this!

I just took 3 gallons there and they were happy to take it. You have to take your containers home with you.

Yay, Oakland! How often do you get to say that? They want you to use their containers, but if you email recycling@oaklandnet.com or call (510) 238-SAVE they will give you 2 gallon containers and a filter recycling bag. And when they pick up the full jugs, they will leave more empties by your trash can, too.

And yes, most of those quicky oil-change places are happy to take your oil--they get paid for it.

I say it frequently, but only when not talking about the city government. I love it here, and hope it can recover.

But yeah, I emailed them, and had 2 gallon jugs and a ziplock on my front porch in 3 days.

Santa Cruz County has curbside oil recycling too. put the drained filters in a plastic bag, tie to handle of oil recycling jug (provided by the disposal company)

Hi All,

Live in San Jose.

Does anybody know what to do with used radiatior fluid (coolant) and old air filter oil/water/dirt mixture from cleaning foam air filters?

Thanks,

Mike Z

Best place to take that stuff is probably the Santa Clara County Hazardous Waste dropoff place. Here's a list of their events http://www.sccgov.org/sites/iwm/hhw/Documents/Operating Schedule.pdf

You can also call 'em to make a dropoff appointment (may as well bring all your old paint, old weedkiller, flourescent bulbs and spare batteries while you're at it, get rid of it all in one go): http://www.sccgov.org/sites/iwm/hhw/Pages/hhw.aspx

I've got ~ 8 or 10 gallons of water-contaminated transmission/hydraulic oil from an old tractor, 80w90 stuff, to dispose of. sigh. looks like a cappucino.

If you let it sit without disturbing it it will separate. Most recyclers understand a certain amount of water contamination and account for it.

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/Used_Oil.cfm

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/InformationResources/upload/RAG_Used-Oil-Filters_Generators1.pdf <- likely the most useful bit. Remember this is likely one of the most litigious subjects in the US the regs are confusing and lengthy. Good luck.

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/upload/fact_sheet_waste_gasoline_01-10-06.pdf

There is some guidance ...

This is great information for DIYers.

In Redwood City you can put oil in a "clear jug" and filters in a bag and leave on top of your recycle bin. What bothers me is that Recology wants me to use a clear jug instead of recycling the old oil quart plastic bottles. I don't have clear jugs; we don't drink milk or 2 liters of soda. WTF?