[srini1785]

I have over the past two years or so stacked up 5-6 plastic cans of engine oils of various brands for both 2S and 4S vehicles ( mostly motorcycle engine oil ). Once i change the oil , i have always wondered what to do with the old one. As many here would agree , i don't want to just dump it on the ground or flush them down the toilet ( don't laugh , some have tried it).

Is there a correct way ( ecologically correct) to dispose off the engine oil?. I mean convert them into something useful for that matter. I have heard that they make bio diesel out of used cooking oil , something of that sort possible with engine oil?.

PS: Request Mods to post this query into appropriate thread.

[ethanhunt123]

I think you can give it off at your nearest Shell Petrol bunk. They can recycle it for you .

[Thermodynamics]

They should never be dumped down the drain. They are toxic, will eventually end up with the what we drink, eat and breath and in the process wipe out zillions of aquatic species.

Recyle: You cannot make bio-diesel with engine oils the same way as Vegetable oils because they are chemically different compounds. Vegetable oils are Tri-glycerides of higher fatty acids which can be reacted with methanol or ethanol to produce esters of fatty acids i.e. Bio-Diesel.

Whereas engine oils are heavy hydrocarbons. Actually they can be used directly as fuel. Distill them and mix with fuel oil and use them in furnaces, marine engines etc., I think some fuel stations collect used engine oils. Mechanics also collect and use them for lubrication. There are also dealers/agents who buy from them and sell to refineries. Oil refineries do process/re-refine used engine oil.

Suggestions: Ask local garages, petrol pumps and service centers as most of them accept.

[navpreet318]

Simple: Give it to your nearest Workshop or Dealership. They have these oil refining agents who collect it, refine or clean it and reuse it in crude diesel gensets, pumps etc. and for lubrication used in construction sites where concrete shutterings are covered in this oil so that it can be removed after casting of slabs, columns and beams.

[SS-Traveller]

Car and motorcycle workshops have used oil recyclers visiting them once or twice a week, and buy the used oil ~Rs.5 per litre. The oil is recycled & frequently used as furnace oil (apart from a variety of other industrial uses), but sometimes this is also sold as new engine oil.

Get in touch with an FNG nearby, and they'll happily redirect you to the recycler's man, who'll collect the oil from you (and pay you for it). Else, you can take the oil to the FNG and donate it, and they'll be happy to receive it and make a small profit by selling the same to the recycler.

[GTO]

Here's a related thread that has also touched upon the topic - link (Recycling Automotive Waste).

Originally Posted by blackasta

In US a surcharge is added by the service station to correctly dispose off the exhausted consumables. In some apartment complexes - even washing cars are prohibited. Also - even if you change the oil/filter yourself - you can drop off the used ones to your local WalMart for free and they shall responsibly dispose it off.
I guess the same should be started for India also. Let the government give some grant to big supermarkets like big bazaar etc for this.

Originally Posted by IQBAL VEERJI

In mumbai they sell it off to persons moving around on cycles with 20 ltrs black carbouy on their carriers who in turn sell it off to people who recycle it in their plants and new engine oil is made out of it.
Else they sell it off to furnace oil making units.

Originally Posted by diesel_head

Oil: Oil is a major concern. However, luckily, its also one of the most recycled item. Used oil is drained and sold to small time recyclers.

[landcruiser123]

As many suggested, DO NOT drain the used oil into a drain outlet. Along with the suggestions given by others, here's one I'd add- use paper to absorb oil and dump the oil-soaked paper into the trash. Wouldn't suggest this unless it's a small quantity or you can't get to the disposal facility.

[sumeethaldankar]

You can give to your local garage guy, he in turn will probably sell it off to people who will re-use/recycle the oil. One garage guy whom I used to visit for car service used to collect the used oil in a jug and a guy would come to collect same once a while.

I have seen petrol pumps use the drained oil to spray on the lower side of the cars supposedly to prevent rust etc. Don't know if that is a good practice though.

[scorpian]

I have seen petrol pumps use the drained oil to spray on the lower side of the cars supposedly to prevent rust etc. Don't know if that is a good practice though.

Not a good practice, this is the same oil which gets washed off during rains causing a oil film on roads and a very dangerous situation to 2 wheeler. This practice should be stopped and not encouraged.Also oil spray will deteriorate rubber parts/seals under the car.

Just my opinion, no offence to anybody please.

[sagarpadaki]

Best would be to take your car/bike to a nearby service center/FNG and change it over there. They may charge 50 to 100 bucks but would be a hassle free experience with proper ramps and oil disposal. The additional overheads involved in correctly disposing the used oil outweigh the benefits. Apart from the the feel good factor of changing the oil as a DIY, i do not see any benefit.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

... oil refining agents who collect it, refine or clean it and reuse it ...

All FNG's will have a barrel where they collect / store used engine oil, which is then recycled as navpreet318 says. I hand over the used oil to a nearby FNG - he is quite happy to collect it.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

.. Apart from the the feel good factor of changing the oil as a DIY, i do not see any benefit.

What I found is that for bikes, DIY has an added advantage of undertake the oil change at your convenience. Most workshops don't wait for the entire oil to be drained out (there are some who blow compressed air into the inlet and a few who have oil changing machines) nor that the entire oil in the new can is used. Ever carried back the oil can back home and kept it upside down to collect the remaining oil - there are times when a good 50ml is left behind!

When I do oil change at home, I nicely warm up the engine, and ensure that maximum old oil is drained out by tilting the bike. At least half-an-hour goes in completing the process. Similarly, when filling new oil I leave the can inverted in the funnel, to ensure that what gets left behind is bare minimum.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

All FNG's will have a barrel where they collect / store used engine oil, which is then recycled as navpreet318 says. I hand over the used oil to a nearby FNG - he is quite happy to collect it.



What I found is that for bikes, DIY has an added advantage of undertake the oil change at your convenience. Most workshops don't wait for the entire oil to be drained out (there are some who blow compressed air into the inlet and a few who have oil changing machines) nor that the entire oil in the new can is used. Ever carried back the oil can back home and kept it upside down to collect the remaining oil - there are times when a good 50ml is left behind!

When I do oil change at home, I nicely warm up the engine, and ensure that maximum old oil is drained out by tilting the bike. At least half-an-hour goes in completing the process. Similarly, when filling new oil I leave the can inverted in the funnel, to ensure that what gets left behind is bare minimum.

You can supervise that at an FNG for either cars or bike to ensure that the oil is drained completely. I stand beside the bike and the mechanic does not hurry to put back the drain plug. I also push the kick lever a couple of times to ensure that the old oil gets out as much as possible.

Regarding the new oil not poured completely, i agree with you on this. Fortunately my bike mechanic inverts the bottle into the funnel and keeps it like that for 5 mins. But then i know this mechanic for the past 5 years. For cars, i get the 5L can back home and then keep it inverted over the oil inlet for a couple of hours to drain the residual oil .

[shashank.nk]

On a recent visit to a FNG while I was waiting for my bike, a couple of construction workers purchased about 5L of USED engine oil at Rs.20/litre. On checking with the owner, he told me they use it during the laying of mould/concrete and through this he's able to sell almost all the oil he drains from vehicles.

I had no idea it could be used this way, far better way than just dumping it in the drain which most seem to do.

[devarshi84]

I recently started doing oil changes by self. Now I have 3-4 3.5l bottles of oil. But we use this as lubrication for our metal items.

Since I try new oils everytime ( Have already used Veedol, Savsol, Liqui Moly, Shell, etc) it doesn't matter if the oil is slightly inferior to the best of the best oils if they are good for the environment.

I recently came across an article by Savita Oil (Savol) where they are now marketing their oils as 'The Green Performer'. Firstly, they are not tied with Idemitsu anymore. Secondly, They have recently tied up with Tata Motors. The reason for mentioning Savsol Green Performer is because they are using farm based oils which are renwable and biodegradable. Here is an article to the link
https://www.autocarindia.com/auto-fe...ly-leap-408915

PS: I do not have any associations with any oil provider. I find it worth posting here because an eco-friendly oil is easy to dispose. Feel free to correct me.

[G V Krishna]

As far as I know, used engine oil sells like hot cake in Constructing Buildings (Real Estate Development). Previously when they used wooden frames to cast RCC pillars and Roofs masons used to apply cattle dung on the frame before pouring concrete. Now that all these frames are Iron (since at least last 20 years), used engine oil is applied liberally before pouring concrete. Once, I personally had to visit many petrol pumps to source used engine oil (hardly 10 liters) so as to not delay the construction.

Also another usage I have witnessed is many petty/cottage industries filter out the lightly used engine oils and sell them as new oil to Auto-Rickshaws or other non-transport Engines. Lastly the rest of it which is too dirty is sold to run furnaces. But whatever is the case I believe in India, engine oil is never disposed off in a Eco-friendly manner. Does such a Infrastructure setup exists first of all?