LA County Public Works will host a free used motor oil and oil filter recycling event on December 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, at the Lawndale O’Reilly Auto Parts, located at 15122 ½ Hawthorne Blvd.
When used oil is illegally dumped into stormdrains, it pollutes local water bodies and contaminates sources of clean drinking water. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it only takes one gallon of motor oil to contaminate as much as a million gallons of fresh water – equivalent to a year’s supply of drinking water for 50 people.
In exchange for properly disposing of their used oil during the event, participants will be rewarded with free used oil containers, oil filters, shop towels, and funnels. Those recycling oil filters will receive one new oil filter. Promotional items are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Items for drop-off should be prepared by placing oil filters in sealed plastic bags and storing used motor oil in leak-proof containers. Used oil should not be mixed with any other liquid, including water.
Used motor oil and oil filters can also be recycled for free at a local certified collection center or on weekends at a County-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Waste collection event. A full calendar of collection events and list of collection centers can be found at www.CleanLA.com.
For additional information on the County’s oil and oil filter recycling program, call Edna Gandarilla, Program Manager, at (626) 458-6536.