How to Recycle Car Batteries & Dispose of Motor Oil

Drop Off Old Batteries & Used Motor Oil at NAPA

Automotive batteries connected to standard commuter cars, luxury SUVs and hardworking pickups with combustion engines are engineered to last, on average, three to five years. The life expectancy of the main battery in a hybrid or EV is 10 to 20 years. Throughout the course of a car battery’s lifecycle, it produces the electrical current needed to start the engine and supplies power to electrical components and accessories even when the engine isn’t running.

If your typical week involves many short trips, where the engine is turned off and on repeatedly, your battery may suffer from not getting recharged during longer driving distances. If your vehicle sits for extended periods without starting it up and letting it run for at least 15 minutes every two weeks, that can also cause a battery to lose its charge. Signs that a car battery needs replacement include headlights getting dimmer than normal or trouble starting your engine. When in doubt, take your reliable vehicle to your local NAPA Auto Parts store for a quick test by a professional using an automotive battery tester.

If your sedan, minivan, SUV or pickup needs a new battery, the replacement battery must match the original as closely as possible. Automotive batteries are manufactured in different sizes and functional designs for a perfect fit in the exact space allotted under the hood for your vehicle’s precise make, model and year. Our experts recommend the all-weather AAA Premium Battery, backed by a 3-Year, Full-Replacement warranty. This performance battery is sold exclusively through The NAPA Network and includes a discount for AAA members. 

Gain expert guidance from NAPAonline.com about how to replace a car battery. This easy, do-it-yourself vehicle maintenance project should take less than 30 minutes. Along with the new car battery, you need hand tools to remove the battery terminals and a battery terminal cleaning brush. Some automotive batteries are located in hard-to-reach areas, such as under the rear seat or behind the trunk. For professional installation of an aftermarket battery and proper old car battery disposal, take your vehicle to a local NAPA Auto Care center for a complete battery service.

Battery Recycling: Good For Your Wallet & The World

The first step of recycling an old car battery involves returning the core of your original battery to a participating NAPA Auto Parts store. Certain used auto parts, like batteries, can be remanufactured for resale, which retains some of their value even when a part is no longer operational. This core charge (also called a core price) listed by aftermarket retailers is a type of deposit that encourages shoppers to return their used parts. When you bring a dead battery back to a NAPA Auto Parts store with a receipt showing the core charge, the store will refund that amount, which is typically $18 to $27.

But saving money isn’t the only reason to recycle car batteries. There are many environmental regulations around disposing of a car battery because they contain highly toxic materials and heavy metals like nickel, mercury, lead and cadmium. Inside nearly every automotive battery are lead plates that are submerged in a mixture of sulfuric acid. While today’s standard is lead-acid sealed batteries, the growing consumer market of hybrids and EVs is generating more demand for lithium car batteries, producing a new type of waste.

If you are searching for where to recycle car batteries, nearby city or county recycling centers may accept the battery for a nominal fee or at no charge. If you follow the laws in your state for old car battery recycling, your original battery should end up in a hazardous waste facility where chemicals are properly drained, lead is removed, plastic is recycled and anything salvageable is turned into part of a new battery.

The best solution for how to dispose of old car batteries is to check at your nearest NAPA Auto Parts store to see if they can accept them. Most auto parts stores also have the ability to send used car batteries to recycling facilities, as well as lawnmower batteries, motorcycle batteries and marine batteries. Keep in mind, you must transport a used automotive battery with great care and attention. Our experts recommend carefully placing it inside a thick plastic bag to prevent leaking in your trunk or truck bed. It is critical to keep the battery upright by securing it in the cargo area. 

Drip That Motor Oil Out & Drop It Off At NAPA

Clean motor oil is critical for any vehicle with a combustion engine. Motor oil (also called engine oil) coats all the moving parts within an engine to keep the system properly sealed, running smooth and relatively cool. To prevent costly engine repairs, motor oil needs changed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles or every three months, whichever comes sooner. 

Some premium motor oil includes additives that reduce oxidation or protect against extreme temperatures. If your modern vehicle requires a synthetic blend, go for the Valvoline Maxlife for optimal protection in high-mileage vehicles with more than 75,000 miles on the odometer. If you need a full synthetic, the NAPA experts recommend the NAPA 5W-30 Motor Oil, which circulates quickly from a cold start, keeps your engine cleaner from deposits and provides strong protection at high temperatures. From motorcycles and boats to diesel trucks, NAPAonline.com carries reliable heavy-duty engine oil.

Gain expert guidance from NAPAonline.com on how to change oil at home. This easy, do-it-yourself vehicle maintenance project should take less than 30 minutes. You’ll need:

• Up to 6 quarts of new motor oil (large trucks might need up to 15 quarts)
• A NAPA Oil Filter
• A drain pan
• Hand tools like an oil filter wrench set
• Set of car ramps
• Shop supplies like clean rags and hand cleaner

Get Up & Go faster than ever! Participating NAPA Auto Parts stores offer a convenient Buy Online, Pick Up in Store option so you can get back on the road in no time. Or, you can check out our Free One-Day Shipping on more than 160,000 items! 

DON’T DUMP! Drop Off Used Motor Oil

Just like used car batteries, there are many government regulations around disposing of used motor oil. Pouring motor oil down a kitchen drain or in a sewer drain will pollute drinking water and contaminate waterways on which wildlife relies. Because the toxic chemicals and heavy metals in engine oil are slow to degrade and stick to everything, disposal of used motor oil takes extra effort. 

If you are looking for where to dispose of used motor oil, contact your nearest NAPA Auto Parts store to see if they can accept it. Most auto parts stores recycle motor oil, gear oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and even oil filters. If you are still concerned about navigating how to dispose of used motor oil, take your vehicle to a local NAPA Auto Care center for a complete oil change.

Featured image courtesy of Pixabay.