I was always skeptical until now

[cwilliamsws6]

I have to go to my local auto parts store at least once every other week to replace yet another thing that broke and I've never seen them emptying the used oil dumpster thing. I used to joke that after hours they just put it down the drain secretly or something.

My workplace shares the parking lot with a Firestone auto care center and in the year and a half I've worked across the way I've never seen their used oil get collected.

Lo and behold the other day I seen a Safety-Kleen truck pulling up and emptying the used oil dumpster and collecting all the filters sitting on the top too.

I have never seen a Safety-Kleen truck on the road before until last week.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

I posted something similar a few months back. Its baffling to say the least. I used Safety Kleen bulk while in the Military. Their OTC oils are pretty expensive though, unless you're a wholesale buyer or whatnot. I think it's like 35-40$ for a 5qt jug if you're just buying it for personal use.

Crazy how they charge to pick up used oil, re-refine and blend it, then sell it

 

[cwilliamsws6]

Firstly thank you for your service

I've always wanted to use their oil at least once just to say I have but never even seen it for sale anywhere. Do you have to order it online or is it some sort of specialty dealer thing?

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Originally Posted by cwilliamsws6
Firstly thank you for your service

I've always wanted to use their oil at least once just to say I have but never even seen it for sale anywhere. Do you have to order it online or is it some sort of specialty dealer thing?

here is one place

You can occasionally find it in oddball places, I saw a booth at the State Fair once.

cases aren't priced too bad

 

[bdcardinal]

We have waste pickups every week. I think every other week, the guy comes and gets the oil and then the following week someone comes for coolant, brake fluid, and filters. I usually have to sign the paperwork since I was the one stupid enough to take the HAZMAT test. I should probably pay more attention but they usually come while I am on the phone with a customer so I don't read the paperwork, just give it to the office to file away.

 

[David2431]

FWIW, I know of several businesses that collect and stockpile used motor oil and burn it for heat during winter months.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

I've seen videos of used oil furnaces on YouTube before, they're neat and definitely a creative way to get rid of used oil. Can't even imagine the amount of pollution tho.

 

[clinebarger]

Every shop I've worked has the waste oil pumped out on a regular basis.....The risk of getting caught dumping it isn't remotely worth it. This isn't 5 quarts every few months.....This is 500+ gallons every month.

 

[pbm]

I have a 'skeptical' friend who swears that our curbside recycle collection ends up in the same place that our curbside garbage pickup does....I'd like to know but I'm not gonna follow the truck around all day to see where it ends up.
As far as used oil....I'm certain they collect it for re-use because it does have 'value'...

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by cwilliamsws6
I've seen videos of used oil furnaces on YouTube before, they're neat and definitely a creative way to get rid of used oil. Can't even imagine the amount of pollution tho.


While I've never seen any specs that say how many pollutants an oil-burning stove emits, I've worked in a few areas that heat their shop with them and I know of a couple dozen more.
A properly functioning oil-burning stove does not emit visible black smoke into the air and when you clean the internal components, the deposits inside are almost a pure white.

 

[nascarnation]

Originally Posted by pbm
I have a 'skeptical' friend who swears that our curbside recycle collection ends up in the same place that our curbside garbage pickup does....I'd like to know but I'm not gonna follow the truck around all day to see where it ends up.
As far as used oil....I'm certain they collect it for re-use because it does have 'value'...


China used to process much of our recyclables. All those ship containers bringing manufactured goods didn't go back empty.
Their standard of living increased enough that it wasn't worth paying people to do manual sorts so China stopped taking the stuff.
Now most of it is going into landfills in the US.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/recycl...n-american-cities-face-recycling-crisis/

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

^^^^^This. Neighborhoods in my area no longer use or are provided with recycling bins. It all goes in the trash bins. If you want to recycle something, you have to haul it to a "recycle center" yourself.

 

[cwhard]

China used to process much of our recyclables. All those ship containers bringing manufactured goods didn't go back empty.
Their standard of living increased enough that it wasn't worth paying people to do manual sorts so China stopped taking the stuff.
Now most of it is going into landfills in the US.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/recycl...n-american-cities-face-recycling-crisis/

_______________________________________________________________

My 15K extended drain intervals are making me feel all warm & fuzzy about now. You guys filling up the landfills ought to be ashamed of yourselves... But I guess 'out of sight, 'out of mind'... So you 3-5k guys keep on rockin!

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted by pbm
I have a 'skeptical' friend who swears that our curbside recycle collection ends up in the same place that our curbside garbage pickup does....I'd like to know but I'm not gonna follow the truck around all day to see where it ends up.


I agree with your friend. The Chinese government would like to end all import of U.S. recyclables in 2020. Chinese buyers are already pickier about materials. For example, toss a plastic peanut butter jar with peanut butter residue in it into your recycling bin and if it isn't caught in sorting it ruins an entire bale of plastic. People think everything plastic and cardboard is recyclable. It isn't. Example; pizza boxes. If there is one spot of grease on the inside of the box it isn't recyclable. In my city the recycling contractor has to pay to get some glass ground up into sand, but a lot of it goes to landfills. I'm questioning whether or not it's worth it to recycle glass at all.

It's called "too much of a good thing." If it has not value and ultimately isn't going to save landfill space it's probably not worth the labor and energy.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by David2431
FWIW, I know of several businesses that collect and stockpile used motor oil and burn it for heat during winter months.

The O'Reilly store here says that's what they do with their collected oil. They give it to their "commercial customers" (I presume that means auto repair shops that have heaters that can burn it) for free vs paying a company like Safety-Kleen to take it.