What do you do with used oil filters?

[Diamondpilot]

I was changing the oil on my Nissan Titan today before dinner and got to thinking there has to be a better way to deal with used oil filters. I have been just wrapping them up in a WalMart bag after they drain and throwing them in the trash. From time to time they leak out and make a mess.

So what are you guys doing?

I figured it up and I am doing about 40 oil changes a year at home in my equipment and the 3 main customers equipment I take care of and about another 40 on the road, mainly boats at the marina. I recycle every drop of oil in 5 gallon buckets with tops and pour spouts and 1 gallon oil jugs. I mainly give it to the guy at the local Mom and Pop Gas Station. He sells it. But I also take it to Auto Zone and other parts stores from time to time. It just seems there has to be a better way to deal with filters.

Not only do I throw away about 75 to 80 oil filters per year but also about 25 or so spin on fuel filters, fuel water separators, and hydraulic filters.

Chris

[Willl]

I take mine to work where they have a hydraulic filter crusher.

Wonder if some of the places that take used oil will also take used filters ?

[Sackett2]

Some auto shops will take them with the used oil.

[Diamondpilot]

I have not seen any around here. Most of the local Hill Billys just burn them in the fire pit. Guess its no worse than me throwing them in the trash.

If I could find someone to take them I would build a drain rig. I have the grate out of a old gas grill that would work perfect. I would have my Sheet Metal buddy build a drip pan that had a slight drop to one corner. I could put a drain on that corner with a hose leading down to a jug to catch the oil that drains and mount it up on the wall. Something big enough to hold 10 filters would be big enough for me. Once they drained for a couple weeks I would toss them in a 5 gallon bucket and once that was filled haul them off to the recycle if there was one????

Chris

[Gale Hawkins]

If you heat a shop with wood you can recycle the energy by tossing them in the stove. Not too much left when you remove the metal.

A local tractor dealer begs for used oil to fire his oil burner heating system.

[Willl]

Wow, did a quick search to find a pic of the type of crusher we have at work and was shocked at the price they want for these things.

Would you believe it's close to $3000, for a can crusher ?

edit; opps, forgot pic. For clean up, they toss in a can of brake clean. I kid u not.

[Gary Fowler]

I suppose that if you had a hydraulic press, you could crush them between 2 plates and catch the dripping (what a mess that would make). I like the idea of burning them in the wood stove, but I dont have a wood stove, although I guess I could burn them in my brush piles, but I usually do like everyone else, just drain them in my oil catching pan and then toss them in the trash. I am sure there is still a bit of oil left that goes to the dump and this is probable illegal to do, but I dont have that much to do, just a couple of autos and 2 tractors that maybe get changed once a year and twice a year on the vehicles which we only average about 10K per year on each. I usually save my used oil to pour on my brush piles rather than use diesel to start. The oil works better anyway. I think I will also save my filters now and toss them on the pile and later retrieve the metal. I know it's maybe not as environmentaly friendly as recycling, but if I add the fuel needed to take them to a recycle place that would be at least a 50 mile trip from my house, I might be saving some pollution by just burning them. Maybe not, but its a lot less hassle.

[zmoz]

I find they make PERFECT fuel for the wood stove....

[Egon]

Up here we have a hazardous waste disposal sites for such items.

[s78wingrider]

I drain mine and throw in with the scrap metal that's sold at salvage yard