Used Oil Recycling Grant and Payment Programs

CalRecycle’s used oil recycling grant and payment programs provide funding for activities that reduce the amount of illegally disposed used oil, recycle used oil/used oil filters, and reclaim used oil.

Model Projects

Program Implementation Policies and Resources

  • Using Grant/Payment Program Funds for Promotional Items. Use the contact information at the bottom of this page for further information.

Follow the links to learn more about a particular grant and payment programs.

Payment Program

  • Used Oil Payment Program Payments are awarded annually to local governments to develop and maintain used oil and filter collection programs with funding determined on a per capita basis.

Competitive Grants

  • Used Oil Competitive Grant
    This grant program provides assistance to reduce the potential for illegal disposal by increasing used oil and filter collection, recycling opportunities, public education, source reduction, and reuse of used oil, and the prevention of stormwater pollution from used oil.

Previous grants included:

  • Block Grant
    Grants were noncompetitive and awarded annually to local governments with funding determined on a per capita basis. The last year of awards for this program was fiscal year 2009-10. It was replaced by the Used Oil Payment Program.
  • Nonprofit Grant
    Grants supported nonprofit entities assisting local governmental efforts to establish or enhance used oil collection programs. The last year of awards for this program was fiscal year 2007-08.
  • Opportunity Grant
    Grants supplemented already established Block Grants. The last year of awards for this program was fiscal year 2007-08.
  • Research, Testing, and Demonstration Grant
    Grants were awarded to develop collection technologies or systems and uses for used or recycled oil. The last year of awards for this program was fiscal year 2007-08.

Develop a Program

CalRecycle has compiled the following materials and tools for planning, implementing, and evaluating used oil and household hazardous waste programs. The information is intended to complement the guidance and support provided by CalRecycle grant managers. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact your grant manager.

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Grants Administration

Program Planning and Evaluation

Community-Based Social Marketing Pilot to Increase Do-It-Yourself Oil Recycling Rates. Summarizes the findings of pilot studies in Los Angeles, Napa, and Madera Counties to determine the effectiveness of Community Based Social Marketing in increasing used oil and filter recycling among Californians who change their own motor oil, Do-It-Yourselfers (DIYers). Published by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).

Used Oil Recycling Program Self Evaluation and Program Gap IdentificationThis online evaluation tool will help you increase used oil collection by determining which program components to emphasize and how to work within a limited budget.

Grant Management SuccessA manual for evaluating your used oil recycling program, which you can download from our publications catalog.

Changing Behavior–Insights and Applications. A project team at the local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Washington, spent several months in 1995 reading behavior change literature from energy conservation, recycling, health education and other fields, looking for insights. This paper, revised in 2001, describes their findings.

Demographics information enables program managers to more effectively determine need for services based on characteristics such as language, age, income level, vehicle ownership, residence type, etc. In addition, the characteristics of a community determine the type of outreach that may be most effective, e.g. large populations of Spanish speakers may lead to bilingual outreach materials or large numbers of senior citizens may indicate the use of large font materials.

Targeted Sector Programs

Any activity that generates used oil may require an organized recycling effort consisting of establishing collection locations and performing outreach. In addition to at-home-mechanics, targeted sector programs may include marinas, airports, agricultural areas, and small businesses such as the small quantity generators (SQG).

For more information contact: Certified Collection Center, UsedOilCCC@calrecycle.ca.gov or Household Hazardous Waste, UsedOilHHW@calrecycle.ca.gov.