How Car Fluids are Recycled

Motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze and other car fluids are recyclable. Many can be re-refined or reconditioned for use in another vehicle or used for energy and heating.

Recycling Motor Oil

There are three basic methods for recycling motor oil: re-refining, reconditioning and reuse or reprocessing.

1. Re-refining – Motor oil is treated to remove impurities, and with proper quality controls, this re-refined oil can be used again. The more extensive re-refining processes, can strip away contaminants, and can produce a “good as new” base oil. Additives are then blended with this base oil in order to produce re-refined lubricants, including motor oil, transmission fluid and grease.
2. Reconditioning – Impurities are removed through a filtration process, although the oil may not be as pure as it was originally. In some cases it can be used again, and therefore the life of the oil has been extended.
3. Re-use or Reprocessing – Many used motor oils or used industrial lubricants can also be used as a heating and energy source. If they cannot be used “as-is,” they can often be reprocessed to remove certain impurities and then used as a fuel, in turn saving crude oil which would otherwise need to be refined to make replacement fuel.

Recycling Antifreeze

Antifreeze often can be recycled at an auto repair shop equipped with the proper filtration or distillation technology.

1. Contaminants such as oils and heavy metals are removed from the antifreeze through a variety of methods such as include filtration, distillation, reverse osmosis and ion exchange.
2. The antifreeze is restored to “new” antifreeze by adding chemicals that stabilize the fluid and make it more resistant to breakdown.

Transmission fluid, power steering fluid and gear oil can also be recycled, reconditioned or reused through similar processes.