Ask A Scientist© Environmental Science Archive

Author:     rob8940
Text:       When motor oil is collected for recycling, what do they do or make 
from the oil?
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Response #: 1 o f 1
Author:     Don Libby
Text:       I used to own a car and change my own oil. Sometimes you have to 
ask quite a few service stations if they take waste-oil for recycling. Oil 
recycling is part of my city's comprehensive recycling plan, so there are 
several public waste oil collection sites around the city (Madison, 
Wisconsin). The oil is purified and resold as motor oil, either 100% recycled 
or blended with fresh oil. I used to buy 100% recycled oil for my car, 
although it is more expensive than ordinary oil when you buy it from a 
retailer. You might try writing to a company called "Seventh Generation" in 
Colchester, Vermont zip code 05446-1672 for more information. That is where I 
used to buy my recycled oil.
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Up-date: 1/24/2005
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Not much of used oil is refined and used again.  A little over half is
burned as fuel.

Bob Erck
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