How to Recycle Oil

Engine oil

Used engine oil may be burnt as heating fuel.

It also can be filtered or centrifuged to clarify it, and re-used as lubricating oil - but not in car engines, for which it now lacks all the necessary additives.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oils are best re-used as food. Its also possible to use it as a diesel fuel replacement in 2 possible ways:

• as it is, as WVO (waste vegetable oil)
• via conversion to biodiesel.

There are various gotchas with the first option. The second requires processing.

Vegetable oil is also effective as a lubricant for short term undemanding jobs. Over time it congeals solid, acting more like glue than lubricant.

Animal fats

Animal fats in too poor a condition to be used as food or animal feed can be turned into soap with some basic processing.