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Automobiles: Used Oil Filters

In an effort to alleviate the need for regulatory burdens and keep recycling costs low, the Filter Manufacturers Council has been actively promoting the recyclability of their products for the past fifteen years. An estimated 200 million oil filters have been recycled since the program's inception, though that is only a 30% recycling rate. There is still needs to be better education of individuals and companies.

The Filter Manufacturers Council maintains a database of filter management companies in every state, which is accessible online at www.filtercouncil.org. In Canada, you can check out UseOilRecycling.com. This information will allow the generator to locate a company that can transport the filters for recycling.

For the typical do-it-yourselfer (DIY), finding a drop off location for used oil filters may be more difficult. Many provinces do not yet have the infrastructure available to handle the DIY used oil filters. If no such facilities are available and disposal is the only option, be sure to follow the recommended guidelines for filter disposal, in which you hot drain the filter for 12 hours at 15 degrees Celsius or above and puncture the dome end or anti drain back valve. This essentially means you have to poke a hole in the filter and gravity drain it for 12 hours, which removes most of the used oil before throwing it away.