Used oil disposal — where to take motor oil and oil filters
Used motor oil is one of the easiest things to recycle and one of the worst to dump. EPA puts it bluntly: used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. Shops that change oil and many drop-off sites collect it, often free, and some states keep it out of landfills by law.
Short answer
- Drain it into a leak-proof container with a lid.
- Take it to a collection point: a shop that changes oil or a drop-off site that takes it.
- Recycle the filter too — drain it first. Most places that take oil take filters.
- Never in the trash, on the ground or down a storm drain.
Getting it ready
EPA's used-oil guidance for do-it-yourselfers comes down to a few steps:
- Drain the oil, then pour it into a leak-proof can or container with a lid.
- Drain the used filter too, and take it with the oil — EPA notes you can usually drop filters off at the same collection centers.
Find a drop-off near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites. Used oil usually goes to a household hazardous waste area or event, so check the site's page or call before you drive.
Where to take it
EPA suggests asking local auto maintenance shops and your local waste officials. Some states require it: in New York, service stations that change oil must accept up to five gallons a day from a person at no charge. Drop-off sites in our directory also take it:
- Stafford County, Virginia: motor oil, transmission fluid and antifreeze, 5 gallons each a day.
- Richland, Washington: used motor oil, antifreeze and cooking oil, 5 gallons each.
- Cary, North Carolina: motor oil, antifreeze and oil filters.
- Marietta, Georgia and Chicago's household hazardous waste site take it too.
Landfills mostly won't: Missouri and North Dakota law keeps used oil out of landfills, so sites there take it separately or send you elsewhere.