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Keep Water Safe & Clean
Motor Oil Disposal
Clean Water Tip
How can you use and change your motor oil and help keep our waters clean?
- • Stop drips. Check for oil leaks regularly and fix them promptly. Keep your car tuned to reduce oil use.
- • Use ground cloths or drip pans beneath your vehicle if you have leaks or are doing engine work. Clean up spills immediately. Collect all used oil in containers with tight fitting lids. Do not mix different engine fluids.
- • Never dispose of oil or other engine fluids down the storm drain, on the ground or into a ditch.
- • Recycle used motor oil. The Recycling and Disposal Stations, many auto supply stores and gas stations will accept used oil.
- • Buy recycled ("re-refined") motor oil to use in your car.
- • To find out more about where you can take used oil for recycling, call the Department of Ecology's 1-800-RECYCLE line.
What's the problem with motor oil?
Oil does not dissolve in water. It lasts a long time and sticks to everything from beach sand to bird feathers. Oil and other petroleum products are toxic to people, wildlife and plants.
One pint of oil can make a slick larger than a football field. Oil that leaks from our cars onto roads and driveways is washed into storm drains, and then usually flows directly to a lake or stream.
Used motor oil is the largest single source of oil pollution in our lakes, streams and rivers. Americans spill 180 million gallons of used oil each year into our waters.
This is 16 times the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska.
Related links
Recycling: Car Parts and Fluids
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