Empty oil quart containers

[Carter Turk]

Wondering what you folks do with your empty oil containers. Just toss them?

Between two vehicles and three bikes I change a lot of oil.

I've noticed the recycle symbol on the bottom, but our local recycler does not except them.

However a place 60 miles away does. The container must be inverted for 72 hours for exceptance. I'm thinking about talking to our local recycler to see if something can be done here.

I took a vinyl gutter and drilled a bunch of holes in it, hanging it from the rafters in the garage. Wired it with a slope into a costco cashew container.

I when I recycled the containers, I had two full hefty garbage bags full of quart oil containers.

I can't help but think how many of these things are in land fills around the globe. This can't be good. The half life must be 2000 years.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[lord1234]

i put all the old oil in them, and then when time comes bring it to autozone...

 

[katoranger]

I cut them in half and use them for bolts and screws when dissasembling things.

I also use them for putting the old oil back into for recycling.

I haven't check to see if my recycler takes them.

Allen

 

[Griffin]

I usually buy my oil by the gallon or five quart jugs now. I fill them up with used oil and it's off to Auto Zone with them. The manager at Auto Zone told me that the guy who picks up the used oil also picks up the jugs for recycling.

 

[Poot]

I also buy oil in the bigger containers, but the easiest bet is to fill them with the old oil, and take them back to where you bought the oil, and they (by law in canada) should have to take it for recycling.



poot

 

[Guest]

I have a pretty good system going of putting my old oil in the containers.

 

[Carter Turk]

Cool idea about cutting in half for bolts, but then there's quite few funnels kicking around.

I try to avoid Walmart like the plague and find Schucks doesn't carry semi-syn in the gallon containers in the brand I use.

What kind of oil are you finding in gallons? Car oil or strictly motorcycle oil?

I'm on the west coast any places I'll likely find gallon containers? Thanks

 

[dietcokeking]

They're accepted at the local recycling center or designated auto parts places. Filters and used oil, too. All are drained, and recycled, or so I'm told. I invert and drain the empty bottles overnight into partially filled bottles to avoid any waste or pollution. Everything is supported by an environment tax on just about anything wet that you can't take internally.

 

[Hoomgar]

:shock:

I've been smashing them flat and screwing the lid on tight so as to keep them flat then toss them in the trash. Been doing this for 27+ years! I never gave it any thought before. Now I wont be able to ever throw one out again! We don't have any recycling here so I'll be looking to buy my oil in larger containers from now on. I'm not funneling used oil into one quart containers. I guess burning them is bad to? <-- that was a joke guys :lol:

Thanks for the thoughts CT!

 

[mark]

I recycle my oil by giving it to a local trucking outfit that burns used oil for heat in the winter. But I've just thrown my containers away. Probably should recycle them.

 

[Hoomgar]

I recycle my oil by giving it to a local trucking outfit that burns used oil for heat in the winter. But I've just thrown my containers away. Probably should recycle them.

Exactly what I do Mark. Same thing. Local garage heats with it, toss the containers. These guys make you think don't they?

 

[Jethro]

I just throw them in the trash. I keep a 5 gallon kerosene container that I dump all my old oil in, the town dump has a station that accepts it.

 

[Carter Turk]

Jethro, so no guilt throwing them in the trash? I used to toss them back in the day, but try to do my part to recycle what I can.

I take 5 gallon buckets of used oil to the recycle center when I fill a few up.

I can't get over how many quart containers are produced and 99% probably end up in the ground.

Still no word on where to get oil that we like in gallon containers?

 

[katoranger]

I usually only change oil on the mowers and motorcycles now. The cars go to the shop because I don't like to crawl under them. I have about 40 quart containers awaiting diposal or cut in half. The "funnel" part usually goes in the trash. I also drain them into one container so that I can use that oil in the lawnmower. After about 20 quarts I can get about a half quart and then nothing gets to the ground.

I have also have bought the gallon jugs when I can find it.

The bolt bins work nicely and can also be cut the long way for longer bolts and use both halves by screwing the cap back on. Make great disposable containers for soaking small parts too.

Best thing is to recycle if possible. My recycle doesn't take the foam egg cartons so I doubt they will take oil bottles. I try and throw a few in there to test this week. They leave them behind if they don't accept it.

Allen

 

[mixongw]

I wait 'till the wind is blowing toward my neighbors house, then burn them.

 

[DCgs450L]

I put my old oil in the gallon washer fluid jugs I collect. My recycler takes the oil quart bottles as long as they are empty and uncapped. I take the old oil to my county recycling center, pour the oil into the large tanks and toss the bottles into the bin they set aside just for them. I guess they are recycled as normal. When the plastic is melted down for recycling, anything not plastic burns off or is separated, so there should not be a problem. Check your local refuse laws, most cities will accept oil containers with less than 1 ounce of oil still in it. Private collection companies may have stricter policies.

 

[Poot]

Exactly what I do Mark. Same thing. Local garage heats with it, toss the containers. These guys make you think don't they?

I think the half-life of a plastic quart is a bit more than 2000 years. Try NEVER (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation#How_Long.3F) .

If you want to just toss it in the garbage, go ahead, but i do enough damage as it is , and I'd like to have children one day (maybe they could have children too?)[-o<



POOT

 

[omaharj]

Uh-Oh 8-[ I've got a bad feeling.

 

[GSstiny]

Uh-Oh I've got a bad feeling.

Do you smell a P-thread too??? :-D

I confess, I am eco-educated (Jr environmental bio major) but I pitch em in the trash, mainly because my hometown, where I do my mechanic work, doesnt have plastic or glass recycling facilities, at least any that Im aware of. When possible, I buy a bigger container (1 gal +) and put the old oil into it

 

[dietcokeking]

I recycle my oil by giving it to a local trucking outfit that burns used oil for heat in the winter. But I've just thrown my containers away. Probably should recycle them.

That can't be good! Used oil is brimming with carcinogens. If these folks don't have some kind of fancy scrubbing technology, I'd hate to breath the air in the neighbourhood.

My used oil goes into a 5 gallon plastic gas can I marked for that purpose. I dump the old oil at the local repair shop, and recyclers pick it up there.