Aaron Widmar
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The Proper Disposal of Car Fluids and Parts

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Proper disposal of car fluids oil engine waste trash throw away

Photo: The News Wheel

You’ve just finished changing your car’s engine oil. What do you do with the old fluid you drained and old filter you removed? Throw it in the trash? Pour it down the drain? Definitely not!

The majority of car fluids and parts are environmental hazards, and the improper disposal of these items can do terrible damage to things like ground/drinking water, soil, and vegetation. Even a single gallon of oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water, according to the EPA.

Thus, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has outlined specific rules for handling hazardous items, which covers the proper disposal of car fluids and parts. Here are the main points you should know.


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OSHA guidelines for the proper disposal of car fluids and parts

Disposing of fluids

This applies to motor oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, etc. If you’ve drained the car of used, gunky fluid and filled it with new, fresh fluid, you should pour that old grimy stuff into the bottle that the new fluid came in. The bottle is sturdy to hold the fluid, making it safe for you to transport to a disposal facility. Most auto parts stores will take your old car fluids for free and take care of them for you! If these fluids have been contaminated and mixed, though, recycling may not be possible and auto parts stores may not accept your donation — in which case, you’ll need to contact your neighborhood’s hazardous waste location.

Disposing of car parts

The best way to get rid of car parts depends on what you’re discarding:

  • If it’s large and made of metal — such as an engine block, door, fender, or muffler — find a local metal scrapyard that will take it. Some auto parts stores accept and recycle large metal parts, too.
  • Most places that sell new car batteries will take your old battery after you’ve swapped them. In fact, some retailers even impose a temporary fee until you deliver the old battery to them, just to ensure you don’t throw it away.
  • Window glass can be recycled in your household recycling bin.
  • If you’re getting a new set of tires, the mechanic will take them off your hands and recycle them for you (though you may be charged a “disposal” tax). You could also keep the old tires and find creative ways to upcycle them.
  • Old-school headlamps and LED bulbs can be thrown in the garbage, but HID headlamps — which contain mercury — will need to be dropped off at a designated disposal site in your city.

Although it may be quick and easy to chuck the old junk in the trash, taking the time and effort to properly dispose of hazardous materials has many worthwhile benefits. Not only will you help protect the environment, you are helping make automobiles one of the most widely recycled things on the planet.


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Sources: Earth 911, First Time Driver, OSHA