Used Oil Recycling

Recycle Used Oil LogoThe City of Modesto wants to help you finish your oil change right. We have a variety of quick and convenient ways to recycle your used motor oil and filters.

Residential Collection Program

The Residential Collection Program is a free service and is available to all residents who have 96-gallon garbage cans. Your used oil filter will be picked up on your scheduled appointment day by your garbage company.

Disposing of Your Used Oil and Filters

  1. Call us at 209-577-5492 to make a collection appointment.
  2. Pour oil into a plastic container with a screw-top lid. Do not mix oil with other materials such as antifreeze, brake fluid, or gasoline. 
  3. Drain the oil from the filter into the plastic container and place it into a plastic zipper bag. 
  4. Place filled containers and filters on your driveway near the garage or house, not curbside, by 6:00 AM on your pickup day.

Certified Collection Centers

Modesto residents can also recycle their used oil by dropping it off at a Certified Collection Center. Certified Collection Centers located throughout the city will pay you for $0.40 every gallon you recycle up to four gallons per week. You can also drop off up to three Oil filters per week.

Locations

Modesto has many locations to serve you. Find the location closest to you using the CalRecycle search tool.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility accepts used oil and many other household hazardous products.

All residents (and small businesses) of Stanislaus County and its nine cities can recycle the following products at the Hazardous Waste Facility for free:

  • Antifreeze
  • Batteries
  • Motor Oil and Oil Filters
  • Brake Fluid
  • Transmission Oil
  • Gasoline
  • Paints
  • Solvents
  • Computers and Monitors
  • Televisions

Used Oil and Filter Facts

Finish the job by properly disposing of motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, batteries and tires. 

  • Used motor oil can contain toxic substances such as benzene, lead, zinc, and cadmium.
  • The oil from a single oil change can ruin the taste of a million gallons of drinking water. That’s enough water for 50 people, for one year.
  • Films of oil on the surface of water prevent the replenishment of dissolved oxygen, impair photosynthetic processes, and block sunlight.
  • Oil dumped on land reduces soil productivity.
  • In the U.S., less than 60 percent of used oil is recycled.
  • In California 1 in 5 households have a do-it-yourself (DIY) oil changer.
  • Each year the U.S. generates 425 million used automotive oil filters containing 160,000 tons of iron units and 18 million gallons of oil.
  • Recycling all the filters sold annually in the United States would result in the recovery of about 160,000 tons of steel, or enough steel to make 16 new stadiums the size of Atlanta’s Turner Stadium.