Used oil can be refined and used again.

There are many beneficial uses for used motor oil. If used motor oil is refined, it can be turned into a base stock for lubricating oil. Refining used motor oil is similar to the process used for refining of crude oil. However, refining used oil uses up to 85 percent less energy than refining crude oil.

Another way used oil is used is by burning it for energy. Industrial boilers efficiently burn used oil with little pollution. Therefore, some used oil is sent to power plants and burned as fuel.

Many people today are still unaware of the importance of recycling used oil. Unfortunately, some of these people are causing great harm to the environment by disposing used motor oil in their garbage, or even worse into storm drains or in the back yard. Many people are unaware that one gallon of used oil can contaminate up to a million gallons of water.