Advance Auto Oil Recycling: Does Advance Auto Take Used Oil?
Recycling is big. There are recycling centers for almost any plastic, battery, fluid, and other products that you can think of. It is a good idea to support these efforts as you are taking care of the environment for your future generations. Recycling old oil is also part of the plan.
Does Advance Auto take used oil? Yes, most Advance Auto stores recycle your old oil according to their website or one of their blog pages. There may be instances where some of their stores are in States that prohibit this part of recycling and you may have to use the state or city waste management system instead.
To learn more about the Advance Auto oil recycling program, just continue to read our article. it has the information you need to know about in order to get your old oil and other vehicle fluids to the right location
Advance Auto Oil Recycling 101
Can You Drop Off Used Motor Oil at Advance Auto Parts?
According to their website, yes you can drop off your old oil at their auto parts locations. Their procedures will be the same as most other Auto Parts recycling programs and you really need to follow those procedures.
The biggest regulation you need to follow is to store the old oil in the proper container. While you can use the original oil containers you cannot use the same plastic containers that used to hold transmission or brake fluid or even windshield washer fluid.
The containers must either be clean or previously held motor oil only. You can return the oil filter as well but drain it first and place it in a proper container as well. if you are going to delay in recycling the oil, then store it in a cool dry place until you are ready to make the hand-off.
There will be a daily limit and be prepared to provide some personal information when you do drop the oil off.
Advance Auto Oil Recycling Limit
The daily limit or the ‘at one-time’ limit is not necessarily something that is imposed by Advance Auto or other auto parts stores. This limit is imposed either by local, state, or federal government agencies, and do not blame the stores if they won’t take more than that.
If they do take more than 5 gallons in one day from you, do not complain that they are making you write down that you only dropped off 5 gallons. They are doing you a favor by taking the extra oil.
The best thing to do when you have more than 5 gallons is to make two trips on two different days. that way you can avoid hassles and keep up a friendly relationship with Advance Auto Parts. These stores have to follow government regulations just like you do so give the employees a break even when they refuse the extra oil.
Does Advance Auto Take Used Antifreeze?
From reading their information, Advance Auto refers you to Earth911.com when it comes to other hazardous fluids put in your car or truck. This company seems to accept motor oil and oil filters only so you would have to find another local recycling center that handles anti-freeze.
But, since anti-freeze may not be considered a hazardous material, you may only be required to dilute it heavily and then dump it down the drain. The local sewage treatment plant will handle the rest. Just do not dump the fluid into your septic tank or other closed systems.
Call your local waste management center or a recycling center near you to get all the details on this topic. Every city or state will have different rules on disposing of anti-freeze so check with your local officials to get the details.
As a side note, cooking oil is not motor oil or anti-freeze so you should not take that to an Advance Auto Parts or any auto parts store. Also, while Earth911 may consider anti-freeze hazardous the EPA may not and that will go for some other fluids on Earth911’s website as well.
Does Advance Auto Take Used Oil Filters?
According to their website, they do. You just have to wrap it up in a proper plastic bag or plastic container and drop it off with your used oil. What this company wants you to do is to punch a hole in the filter to let all the oil drain quickly.
This may take a few hours to drain as the oil has to make its way through the filter contents but even after a few hours, 10 ounces may still be left inside. That oil won’t come out which is one reason why oil filters are recycled.
Advance Auto and Used Transmission Fluid?
Again, going by their website, this company doesn't have a transmission fluid recycling plan. That is the official word on this topic. However, you never know what individual outlets will do as one customer said they only take 5 gallons of oil at one location and another said a different location had a 10-gallon minimum.
We are not trying to get anyone in trouble but point out that sometimes different locations will work with their customers and make exceptions to the rules. The best thing to do is either call or visit your local Advance Auto Parts store and talk to them about their recycling program.
If they do not accept transmission fluid, they should be able to direct you to someone who will. Or call your local city hall to get the directions to the municipal recycling center and visit or call them for their regulations.
Does Advance Auto Take Used Brake Fluid?
The same information will apply to this fluid as it does to transmission fluid. There is nothing on their recycling web pages that indicate they have a brake fluid recycling program in effect.
The best thing to do for this fluid option is to call your local municipal recycling center and ask them what you should do with old brake fluid. Or, and this goes for transmission fluid as well, talk to your mechanic and see if they will accept your old fluids and recycle them for you.
They have different drums or barrels set aside for the fluids they have to retain and recycle so there may be room in those for yours. it never hurts to ask. Or they may have leads on where to take your old fluids that can’t be recycled like a motor oil can. Do some research online as well as each city, etc., will have different rules on this issue.
Does Advance Auto Take Coolant?
The word coolant can be misleading as it can refer to both anti-freeze and air conditioning Freon. Your car’s air conditioning unit will have Freon or some equivalent coolant to make it work like it is supposed to.
However, AC coolant is handled by different people than auto parts stores who will not have the equipment needed to remove and store old AC coolant from cars. You would have to go to a vehicle AC repair shop and get them to remove the old Freon from your car’s system and replace it with new gas.
If you think that coolant refers to anti-freeze, then see our section on anti-freeze to get the right information on how to handle that fluid. A call to your local mechanic should also provide some important information on how to handle this gas.
Does Advance Auto Take Old Gas?
The answer to this question will be the same as the answers to all the other non-motor oil recycling questions. It will depend on the individual store and the regulations mandated by the State or city you are located in.
There is some good news about old gas though. If it is not too old, you can just add new gas to the container and use it. That beats spending the time trying to get all the information on how to and where to recycle old gas.
It will also save you a trip to the recycling center and save you some money on fuel. If you do not want to try that option or the gas is too old, check with your local waste management centers or call Earth911 and see where you can take the gas to.
Just click the hazardous button on their website and look for the gas link and click on it.
Some Final Words
When it comes to recycling, it is always best to call first and get the details before you show up with old oil or other fluids. Cities and States can be very picky and restrictive on where you can recycle different vehicle fluids. As well as how you recycle.
Call your local Advance Auto store and see what they have to say. Sometimes the State will prohibit them from collecting any fluid including oil.
