Does Autozone take used oil? Yes, it is one of their first steps for recycling motor oil.
Autozone has been keen on promoting a safe and eco-friendly take on used engine oil. That’s why it became one of the entities in the car retail industry that encourages oil recycling for used oil.
Autozone has kept its goal and established various areas as used oil drop-off sites, which are available for customers to use.
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Autozone Used Oil Drop Off Policy
Choosing the Autozone oil disposal service is ideally effective for protecting the environment. Not only that, but this service also offers convenience. This famous retail shop offers several recycling locations where people can deliver the used oil they collected.
Currently, there are over 6,000 available locations that people can visit once they decide to recycle oil at Autozone. Let’s discuss some of the major key points about Autozone’s oil disposal service.
1. Free for all
Clients are entitled to a free waste oil pickup. In short, there are no expenses needed for every transaction. Autozone understands the complexity of recycling old oil. Only a person with knowledge like this retail store can effectively eliminate risks while handling this process.
2. Total amount of oil
Furthermore, another factor to consider is the limited amount of oil to process daily. Recycling used oil occurs with a limit of 5 gallons daily alone. For a year, a limit of 25 gallons is allowed.
3. Leak-proof oil container
Of course, used oil is a component that is difficult to recycle. That’s why it is a must to use an anti-leakage or seal-proof container for collecting the used oil. It is a rule that the retail store implies to every client.
Furthermore, Autozone understands how delicate the situation can be if the used oil is illegally disposed of. Several punishments will be held against anyone responsible for it. That’s why they’ve established this service to lessen the possibility of such an outcome.
4. Clean mixture
Meanwhile, this part is the most crucial factor every client must follow regarding drop-off. Used oil should never be mixed with other substances because it is not recyclable.
That’s why they inform everyone to keep the mixture dry and cool. Doing so will help prevent this irreversible mistake.
What is the Process of Bringing Used Oil to Autozone
When dropping off the used oil to AutoZone, there are still other factors you must figure out aside from the policy above. That involves the process of collecting the oil down to delivering it to the nearest drop-off.
For easier discussion on the safe collection of oil, check out the list below:
- Set up the workplace before everything else. Grab a clean and dry container, then place it below your vehicle.
- Slowly open the plug using a wrench, and let the oil drain until the last drop.
- Clean the plug first before placing it back securely.
- Move the container below the location of the oil filter
- Loosen up the oil filter and allow the oil to drip first.
- Remove the oil filter completely and place it in the used container.
- Allow the oil to drain from the used oil filter.
After this process, grab a container made of polyethylene to transfer the oil. If it is unavailable, try using the original oil container. Ensure it is not contaminated by other substances, for the collected oil will not be accepted.
Also, make sure to store the used oil container in a cool, dry place. Don’t forget to take used oil filters to any Autozone oil recycling sites.
What Kind of Used Oil Does Autozone Take?
Recycling is an important topic at Autozone. That’s why they accept numerous old car materials for that matter.
Autozone accepts the following old car materials for recycling:
- Car Batteries
It is a car part that is commonly recycled due to the valuable materials inside it. (e.g., lead, plastic, etc.). A new car battery is made after using such parts because laws state this.
- Old Car Parts
Aside from the material above, Autozone also accepts old car parts for recycling. Most of the time, parts made of steel are the preferred materials for their recycling. However, other car parts like transmission, engine, and other parts are allotted for remanufacturing.
- Car Parts Packaging (Plastic, Cardboard, and Pallet)
Another type of material that the retail store accepts for recycling purposes is packaging items. These materials are commonly used to safely transport the car part to your location.
- Fluid Recycling
The last item on the list is recycling fluid materials. AutoZone only accepts one type of used oil for this service: motor oil. That means other oils used to maintain a car, like used transmission fluid, are unacceptable.
What Does Autozone Do to Dispose of Used Oil?
1. Autozone recycles used oil
Correct disposal of used oil is mandatory because it involves following protocols. It is known that illegal disposal can lead to unfortunate consequences. The person responsible must pay charges or be imprisoned.
For years, Autozone has been one of the trusted recycling centers for old motor oils. Every client is entitled to drop off their collected used oil for recycling. The most exciting part is it’s a free service.
2. Autozone sells the repurposed and recycled used oils
Every drop of engine oil counts as, after recycling, it can be repurposed as another product. After refining the oil, Autozone can use them to create new products to sell in their store. Even a remanufactured engine is available in their store.
Moreover, it can also be turned into other car material fluids. This extremely flexible material can be turned into other petroleum materials (e.g., anti-freeze, transmission fluid, etc.). However, that can only happen if the used oil is refined properly.
These solutions will make harming bodies of water from improper disposal less probable.
Pros and Cons Alternative Options for Used Oil Disposal
When the engine oil becomes darker and thicker, it’s time to change it and dispose properly. Usually, changing the oil depends on what product was used. For a safer transition to another batch of oil, it’s best to check the user’s guide label.
There’s no harm in changing the oil without help from a professional as long as it is correctly done. Plus, it would be great if everyone knew the other disposal possibilities. Let’s tackle more about that below:
1. Recycling
- Good for the environment
- Several available recycling centers can accept the used oils.
- Several car retail stores are available to help refine the used engine oils.
- It takes a lot of gallons to refine the oil.
- It can be difficult for clients that don’t have the proper tools. for storing used oils
- Contaminated used oils will not be accepted for recycling.
2. Repurposing
- Used oils that didn’t meet the standards for making new motor oil can be repurposed to other industries.
- Repurposed used engine oils can be transformed to other materials that don’t involve the car parts (e.g., paint, carpet, etc.)
- Uses a lot of crude oil to create another product
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Autozone take used oil for free?
In all its available locations, Autozone allows free transactions for recycling used oil. The retail store collects gallons of oil to refine and reuse them in several ways.
From used oil, it can be repurposed into other petroleum materials. Otherwise, it can be used for industrial purposes such as asphalt creation. Thus, validating that this material has a wide range of possible outcomes.
Does Autozone accept other recycling materials?
Aside from motor oil, Autozone also offers recycling for other car parts. That involves car batteries, old car parts, and pallets. Each of the materials mentioned offers what the client needs for their car.
Why is it important to Recycle Used Oil?
Recycling in every way is important, and that should be applicable, especially with oil as the main topic. Once the oil touches anything, it will stick with it. That’s one of the reasons why it shouldn’t be thrown away in bodies of water or landfills.
When that happens, it poisons the living things in that affected area. That’s not all; it also creates a massive problem if not solved properly. Through proper recycling of used oil, the environment will be safer.
Where to dispose of motor oil for free?
You can dispose of the motor oil for free in any Autozone store location. However, if there is no franchise near the area, try looking for your local recycling center.
Conclusion
There are tons of reasons why used oil should be recycled. Starting from the harmful effects it can provide down to the positive outcome once it is recycled. That’s evident with the project of Autozone.
So, does Autozone take used oil? Yes, and it is a great help to the community around them. Environmental problems will be avoided, and several departments in various industries can solve more with its help.
Working with Vernon and Ryley has been a great experience for me. Together with the rest of the team, I hope to create reliable and useful information for our readers, no matter where they are and their experience with car maintenance.
