Oil Filters

Recycling Oil Filters Becomes Mandated!
As of January 1, 2011, the Department of Natural Resources has mandated recycling of oil filters and oil absorbents.

The ban prohibits the land filling of all used automotive engine oil filters and all oil absorbent materials containing oil, except absorbent materials of less than one gallon resulting from a non-routine spill. All types of materials used to absorb or contain waste oil are subject to the ban, including granular kitty-litter type absorbents, oil-dry cloth, rags, wipes, paper toweling and absorbent pillows, pigs, pads, socks, etc.

Examples of non-routine spills may include:
  • Oil discharged when a seal in manually broken;
  • Oil spilled when an accident occurs at a particular machine;
  • Oil spilled when a do-it-yourselfers changes the oil in home equipment such as lawnmowers, snow blowers or rototillers;
  • Oil spilled when a do-it-yourselfer changes the oil from their own vehicle; and
  • Oil released during a vehicle accident.
Examples of routine spills may include:
  • Oil that continually leaks while a machine is operating;
  • Oil that leaks each time a frequently repeated operation occurs such as:
  • Dismantling a car at a salvage yard
  • Changing oil at an auto dealership or similar facility
  • Performing vehicle maintenance at a commercial or government-owned shop; and
  • Oil that leaks at a facility that cleans up oil spills as part of its daily maintenance.
Rags or wipes for personal cleanup after machine maintenance would be included in determining the less than one gallon exemption.

A gallon of oil absorbent material is the amount that would fit inside a dry-gallon container. For example, an absorbent pillow may only have a pint of oil from a non-routine spill, but if the pillow with oil does not fit in a gallon bucket, it is not exempt.

At the Municipal Services Facility, the Village has placed a 55 gallon drum next to the waste oil tank (on the north side of the building next to the Aquatic Center) for collection of oil filters. This service is available only for Village of Grafton residents. Residents may place the used filter in the drum when dropping off the used motor oil.