As soon as you drive your newly purchased car out of the showroom, it starts to consume oil. Even if you diligently change your oil every 3,000 miles, eventually, you will need to dispose of the used motor oil.
While not a pleasant topic, it is essential to know what happens to the used motor oil. Many people are unaware of where the used motor oil goes after a car service. Unfortunately, some of it ends up in the ground. However, most auto parts stores such as AutoZone recycle the used motor oil instead of sending it to a landfill or waste facility.
This approach is a great example of a sustainable business practice, which is good news for the environment!
AutoZone is a leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It operates over 6,000 stores in the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil.
AutoZone offers a wide range of automotive products and services, including replacement parts, performance products, tools and equipment, and accessories for cars, trucks, and SUVs. The company is known for its knowledgeable employees who provide helpful advice to customers, as well as its extensive inventory of parts and accessories.
In addition to retail stores, AutoZone also operates a commercial sales program that serves professional mechanics and repair shops. The company has received numerous awards for its customer service and commitment to sustainability, including being named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine.
What Does AutoZone Do With Used Oil?
AutoZone has a recycling program for used motor oil. Customers can bring their used motor oil to any AutoZone store, and the company will properly dispose of it. AutoZone has a partnership with Safety-Kleen, a leading provider of environmental services, to collect and recycle the used motor oil.
Safety-Kleen processes the used motor oil to remove contaminants and turn it into a reusable product. The recycled oil is then used for things like industrial burners, boilers, and furnaces. By recycling used motor oil, AutoZone helps to reduce the environmental impact of this waste product and promotes sustainable business practices.
AutoZone repurposes used oil in several ways.
- First, it filters the used oil and burns it at high temperatures in an industrial furnace to produce steam, which powers the company’s delivery trucks. It takes about 11 gallons of used oil to create one gallon of industrial fuel.
- Second, AutoZone collects the used oil from its stores and transports it to a processing facility. The oil is filtered, separated into various grades, and tested for contaminants. Oil that does not meet high standards for re-refining is further processed into other products such as pet food and livestock feed.
- Third, used oil from auto repair shops is recycled into motor oil and other fluid products such as hydraulic fluids, gear lubes, transmission fluids, and anti-freeze. This helps AutoZone reduce its dependence on petroleum-based products.
- Fourth, AutoZone reuses used oil in brake fluid, oil filters, and grease. The company also has a recycling program for recyclable materials like batteries and oil filters. Used oil is then taken to a facility where it is converted into fuel.
- Finally, AutoZone offers used motor oil for sale and customers can bring in their used motor oil and receive a voucher for store credit as part of the recycling process. Recycled oil can be processed into various products, including asphalt for roads and parking lots, fuel for power plants, and even items like carpeting, paint, and clothing fibers.
AutoZone’s Used Oil Recycling Program
AutoZone has a comprehensive used oil recycling program that involves collecting used motor oil from both customers and auto repair shops. The used oil is then transported to a processing facility where it is filtered and separated into different grades of quality, tested for contaminants, and sold.
AutoZone reuses the used oil in various ways, such as repurposing it as industrial fuel for their delivery trucks, as well as using it to make brake fluid, oil filters, and grease. The used oil is also recycled into motor oil and other fluid products for consumers, including hydraulic fluids, gear lubes, transmission fluids, and antifreeze.
AutoZone’s used oil recycling program is an environmentally friendly initiative that helps to reduce the amount of oil waste that ends up in landfills or pollutes the environment. The program also helps to reduce the company’s dependence on petroleum-based products and promotes the use of sustainable materials.
Additionally, customers who bring in their used motor oil can receive a voucher redeemed at AutoZone for store credit, encouraging them to participate in the recycling process.
How Can You Give Your Used Motor Oil To AutoZone?
To give your used motor oil to AutoZone for recycling, you can take the following steps:
- Drain the used oil from your vehicle into a suitable container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Make sure the container is clean and free from any other fluids or contaminants.
- Bring the container with the used oil to your nearest AutoZone store during their regular business hours.
- Tell an AutoZone staff member that you have used oil for recycling, and they will direct you to the appropriate location.
- Give the container of used oil to an AutoZone staff member or place it in the designated area.
- If your state requires it, you may be asked to fill out a form with some basic information about the used oil you are recycling.
It is important to note that not all AutoZone stores accept used motor oil for recycling, so it is best to check with your local store beforehand. Additionally, it is illegal to dump used motor oil in the trash or pour it down the drain, so recycling it properly is crucial for environmental protection.
How Does Recycling Help The Environment?
Recycling helps the environment in several ways:
- Reducing waste in landfills: Recycling reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, reducing the environmental impact of these sites and extending their lifespan.
- Conserving natural resources: Recycling reduces the need to extract and process raw materials, such as trees and minerals, to make new products. This conservation helps to preserve natural habitats and ecosystems.
- Saving energy: Recycling uses less energy than producing new products from raw materials. This energy saving can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution associated with energy production.
- Reducing pollution: Recycling reduces the amount of waste that is burned or buried, which can release harmful chemicals and gases into the environment. It also reduces the number of new materials that must be produced, which can generate pollution during manufacturing.
Overall, recycling is an important component of sustainable living, as it helps to conserve resources, reduce waste, and protect the environment for future generations.
Conclusion
AutoZone is dedicated to minimizing its impact on the environment and supporting others who share the same commitment. One way it achieves this is by facilitating the safe disposal and recycling of various types of used oil, including household and motor oil.
By making it easy for customers to recycle their used oil, AutoZone helps prevent environmental pollution caused by improper disposal. In addition, through its recycling program, the company can reuse used oil for various purposes, such as fuel for industrial trucks and manufacturing of new oil products.
If you want to learn more about how AutoZone recycles used oil and other sustainability efforts, check out autozonegreaserecycling.com.