&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305)
EPA530-F-92-010
July 1994
Office o': Solid Waste
Environmental
Fact Sheet
Properly Managing Used Oil Filters
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate used
oil that is being recycled or certain types of used oil filters as
hazardous waste. Instead, used oil handlers follow a set of federal
management standards (40 CF'R Part 279) that are designed to
encourage the recycling of used oil. EPA also supports the recycling of
properly drained used oil filters and their parts. Whole filters and their
parts contain reuseable scrap metal with high BTU content, which
makes them recyclable as scrap feed for steel production, for example.
Used oil filters usually can be taken to the same recycling centers
that accept used oil. If no local facilities recycle oil filters, drained
filters normally can be wrapped in newspaper and disposed of with
regular household trash. (Individuals should check with their local
trash collection service before discarding filters because some states
don't allow used oil filters to bo disposed of in landfills.)
Because used oil is a harmful pollutant, all oil should be drained
from used filters before they are recycled or disposed of. Draining the
used oil will prevent any leakage into the environment. Follow this
checklist to properly drain an oil filter.
If necessary, use a filter
wrench to loosen the old oil
filter. Carefully remove it.
r
The most effective way to
drain a filter is to carefully
puncture a hole in the domo
end of the filter or through
the antidrain back valve with
a suitable tool, such as a
screwdriver. Puncturing
the filter breaks the vacuum
and allows the "trapped" oil to
be recovered for recycling.
(Antidrain back valves are
contained in most automotive
filter models. The valve consists
of a rubber flap that creates a
vacuum to prevent oil from
draining back into the engine
when it is not running.)
Puncture
here
Dome End
Antidrain
Back Valve
Puncture
here
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Turn the filter upside down
in a used oil collection
container, such as a drip pan.
Drain as much oil as possible
from the filter. For best results,
drain used oil filters for a mini-
mum of 12 hours at an approxi-
mate temperature of 60°F. (Oil
filters also may be drained
without puncturing them, and
at cooler temperatures. The
time required to effectively
remove the used oil will take
longer than 12 hours.)
f
Use a funnel or carefully pour
the used oil from the drip pan
into a clean container appro-
priate for recycling the oil. Don't
rinse the residual oil from the
container down the drain;
simply reuse the pan when you
change your oil or oil filter
again.
Protect the environment by
taking your used oil and the
empty oil filter to your nearest
public used oil collection
center. Look for the "oil drop,"
which is a petroleum industry
symbol indicating that used oil
is collected for recycling/reuse.
Contact
For more information on used oil filters or to find a recycling
collection program in your area that accepts used oil filters, call the
RCRA Hotline. The Hotline can provide the name, address, and phone
number of the person in your state to contact for more information on
recycling used oil. The Hotline is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m. EST. The national, toll-free number is (800) 424-9346; TDD
(800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired).
More Publications
Information on recycling used oil and used oil filters also can be
found in the following EPA publications.
Recycling Used Oil and Used
Oil Filters: Tips for Consumers
Who Change Their Own Oil
(EPA530-F-94-008)
How to Set Up a Local
Program To Recycle Used Oil
(EPA530-SW-89-039a)
Write for copies from: RCRA
Information Center (RIC), U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Solid Waste
(5305), 401 M Street SW,
Washington, D.C. 20460. Phone
orders are accepted by the RCRA
Hotline at the above number.
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