Used Oil & Antifreeze Disposal & Recycling

Spring is the time of year when campers, motorcycles and cabriolets come out of hiding to explore and feel the wind on their hubcaps. With this comes a thorough engine check and possibly an oil change to start things off running smoothly. Whatever the reason, oil and antifreeze changes are a part of life and once complete, you are left with filters, messy bottles, waste oil and antifreeze to dispose of. Read on to discover how and where to dispose of these responsibly (and often for free!).

Where do I take used oil, oil filters, antifreeze and their containers?
If you brave doing your own oil or antifreeze changes, you should collect the used oil or antifreeze in separate seal-able containers and place the oil filter in a sealed plastic bag. Bring these to one of the following locations for free recycling:

• Method Marine (Tofino)
• Tofino Harbour Authority
• Columbia Fuel (Ucluelet)
• Alberni Valley Sort’nGo Centre (AV Landfill)

Did you know…?

• …used oil & used antifreeze plastic bottles cannot be placed in regular curbside recycling?
• …the West Coast Landfill and the Ucluelet Bottle and Recycling Depot do not collect used
• oil, antifreeze, their bottles or filters?
• …used oil must be uncontaminated by water or other pollutants in order to be accepted for
• disposal?

What happens if I spill oil or antifreeze?
Soak up the spill using cat litter, sawdust or other absorbent material. Place these in a plastic bag and dispose of in the garbage.

What happens to collected used oil, oil filters, antifreeze and their containers?
Interchange Recycling is the B.C. not-for-profit recycling program that collects these materials. They re-refine 51% of used oil which is used as new lubricating oil. 10% of antifreeze collected is re-refined and gets a second life. An impressive 95% of oil filters are recycled into metal products including rebar, nails and wire. 100% of oil and antifreeze containers collected by Interchange are recycled and used to manufacture new oil containers, drainage tiles, and parking curbs.

Who pays for Interchange’s recycling program?
Interchange’s program is funded by its producer members, meaning that producers of engine oil and antifreeze pay an Environmental Handling Fee based on how much product and containers they distribute. Each Interchange member, however, determines if it will recover costs by passing along fees to consumers in the form of an eco-fee at the point of sale. Drop off at Interchange Recycling facilities is free of charge. Other receiving facilities may charge a fee.

Does recycling oil and antifreeze really make a difference?
A little oil or antifreeze in the natural environment can do a lot of damage to local ecosystems. Interchange Recycling collects a significant volume of used oil each year – nearly 50 million litres in B.C. in 2023. Participating in their program keeps oil and antifreeze from entering waterways and affecting marine life.

Beyond being an eye-sore, empty bottles laying around the garage are a fire hazard and mixing these containers into food-container recycling contaminates the load of recyclables. 1.7 million kilograms of plastic containers were collected through Interchange Recycling’s program in B.C. in 2023.

Thanks for doing your part and getting slick on these best practices for managing oil and antifreeze in our community.

Sort’nGo is the ACRD’s waste management program. Email Sort’nGo at sortngo@acrd.bc.ca or call 250-736-7678 (SORT).