It is getting harder to find a place to take it. There is no federal requirement that vendors have to accept used motor oil. In Texas there is no state requirement mandating acceptance but there is a program to reimburse some of the costs associated with accepting used oil from do-it-yourselfers. It is limited to $7,500 per year, so it is really not worth the cost to accept it, especially if the vendor has to pay to have it hauled off. There are limits to how much can be accepted and the individual leaving the oil has to identify themselves.
This is from the EPA website:
Information for businesses such as service stations, fleet maintenance facilities, and "quick lube" shops that generate and handle used oil. Includes regulatory requirements for storing oil, preventing and managing spills and leaks, and record keeping.
www.epa.gov
Does my business have to accept used oil from others?
While there are companies that sell motor oil and also accept used oil for recycling, there is no federal requirement that motor oil vendors must also accept used oil for recycling. Your state might have more stringent regulations than federal EPA so be sure to reach out to them to find out. Check out our
Links to Hazardous Waste Programs and U.S. State Environmental Agencies web page for their contact information.
Texas state law concerning reimbursement:
(b) A registered do-it-yourselfer used oil collection center or used oil collection center is eligible for reimbursement if it demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commission that:
(1) the center has established procedures to minimize the risk that the center will mix the used oil the center generates or collects from the public with hazardous wastes, especially halogenated wastes;
(2) the center accepts not more than:
(A)
five gallons of used oil from any person at any one time if the center is a registered do-it-yourselfer used oil collection center; or
(B)
55 gallons of used oil from any person at one time if the center is a registered used oil collection center; and
(3) the center can document to the satisfaction of the commission the volume of used oil the center collects from the public during any period under review by:
(A)
providing a process by which all individuals leaving household do-it-yourselfer used oil at the center are required to provide their names, addresses, and the approximate amounts of used oil brought to the collection center; or
(B) another method approved by the commission.