Certified Collection Center Program

Screen used oil visually or use a test kit if unsure whether oil is contaminated.

CCCs are not required to accept contaminated used oil.

Direct individuals with contaminated oil to an appropriate hazardous waste facility to manage it through your county’s environmental health department.

If someone abandoned used motor oil outside your site’s property, and you are uncertain if it is contaminated, place the containers in a separate 55-gallon drum to not risk contaminating your main used oil tank.

CalRecycle’s contaminated oil reimbursement program may be able to cover the testing, cleanup, and disposal costs associated with a contaminated oil incident.

OPP funds may be used to pay for testing of used oil, but they cannot be used for cleanup or disposal.

If a hauler picks up contaminated used oil, they can file a claim with CalRecycle below.

• CalRecycle will only reimburse contamination from halogens up to $5,000 of the actual cleanup costs.
• Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination is not subject to that limit, but all contaminated oil reimbursements are limited to funds available in a fiscal year.

• Certified Collection Centers
• Curbside Collection Programs
• Publicly funded used oil collection sites located in rural counties
  • Rural counties with an annual disposal volume under 200,000 tons.

CalRecycle can reimburse the additional disposal and clean-up costs of the contaminated oil that exceed the cost of disposing the same amount of uncontaminated oil.

Fill out a contaminated used oil reimbursement application (CalRecycle 325) to get reimbursed, supplying the following:

• Lab tests showing the type and level of contamination.
• A copy of the uniform hazardous waste manifests or manifest receipts showing all transportation of the contaminated oil.
• Amount of actual total disposal and clean-up costs minus the amount normally charged to pick up the same amount of uncontaminated oil.
• A copy of the invoice or receipt from a used oil hauler showing the disposal and clean-up costs of the contaminated oil.
• A detailed explanation of how the event occurred (summary of events) and a copy of the site’s established procedures for preventing future contamination of oil with hazardous waste.

Before accepting used oil from the public:

• Ask the customer if anything has been added to the used oil, such as gasoline, solvents, antifreeze, paint, or other household products.
  • If the customer says they have added a contaminant, do not accept it.
• Examine the used oil to see if it has signs of layering, dirt or debris floating in it, or has an unusual color or odor.
  • If the used oil appears contaminated, do not accept it.

Certified center operators should post signs to remind both employees and customers not to mix anything with used oil or pour contaminated used oil into storage tanks.