Oil Filter Recycling

According to the Filter Manufacturers Council, in 1999 approximately 50% of light duty used oil filters sold in the United States were recycled.  While this is good news, it also means 50% of the used oil filters are still being discarded in landfills, resulting in approximately 110,000 tons of steel and 12 million gallons of oil going to waste. 

While five states (California, Florida, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Texas) have enacted some form of landfill ban on used oil filters, many states attempt to encourage recycling by other means.  These efforts, along with those by the private sector, have resulted in an increasing filter recycling rate each year for the past five years.

As with oil recycling, methods and availability of oil filter collection may vary from region to region. Some communities operate public collection centers for used oil filters, while others may rely on the private sector for resources.

The Filter Manufacturers Council maintains a database at www.filtercouncil.org, which provides information useful to business and government generators, such as summaries of state regulations, listings of processors, transporters and recyclers, and other educational materials. The site also provides a link to Earth’s 911 for individuals wishing to recycle their used oil filters. Whether a do-it-yourselfer or a business, information regarding used oil filter recycling is available at www.filtercouncil.org. 

Since May 1992 the U.S. EPA has exempted used oil filters from hazardous waste requirements as long as terne plate steel (a lead/tin alloy) is not used in the manufacturing process. Once oil filters have been collected they are processed by a wide variety of methods that reclaim the oil from the filters. Some processes remove the filter media and rubber gasket from the filters as well. The steel is then available for recycling into any number of different useful products. 

The Filter Manufacturers Council operates a toll-free filter hotline. This hotline provides information useful to business and government generators, such as summaries of state and federal regulations, listings of processors and recyclers by state, and other topics. Call 1-800-99-FILTER to learn more. 

 Click here to find out about recycling centers in your state.