New life for recycled motor oil, batteries, and tires

Ever wondered what happens to all those gallons of used motor oil, spent car batteries, and worn out tires? Well, if they're properly disposed of (i.e. not tossed in the trash), chances are, at least some are being reused or recycled into new products.   

Take motor oil, for example. Recycling is now the preferred way to manage used oil, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And that's not hard to believe when you consider that there are several uses for old oil. Used oil can be re-refined into new engine lubricants and processed into fuel oils used by furnaces and power plants. Even used oil filters, which contain scrap metal, can be reused by steel manufacturers.

Car batteries are another recyclable product. In fact, about 90 percent of all lead-acid batteries are recycled, according to the EPA. And those materials are then recycled right back into new batteries. It's estimated that a typical new battery contains between 60 and 80 percent recycled lead and plastic from former batteries. And believe it or not, even the acid can be treated to create water that can then be discharged into the public water system, if it meets safety standards under federal and state laws.

Old tires are another product that can be put to new uses. Just 15 years ago, only about 11 percent of old tires were utilized. However in 2005, nearly 87 percent of the 299 million used tires were reused or recycled, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. While about half were used for industrial purposes like fueling cement kilns and pulp and paper mills, the next two top uses were for construction and the rubber products industry, which includes athletic surfacing.

To learn more about why these products should be recycled and discover recycling options near you, visit our free environmental Web site, GreenerChoices.org.

Read our latest tire and car battery Ratings.

--Kristi Wiedemann