Environmental Services
Recycling Used Motor Oil and Battery Disposal
Don't dump used oil!
Used oil from one oil change - five quarts - creates an oil film that covers two and a half acres of surface water - that's the equivalent of two football fields. Oil can pollute our drinking water supplies, harm wildlife, and can damage our recreational areas.
Help do your part to keep Arlington County free from pollution. If you see or hear of someone dumping used oil or other substances in the storm sewers, waterways, or on the ground in Arlington, please call the Emergency Communications Center non-emergency number, (703)558-2222 (TTY users may call (703) 228-4610).
How to Recycle Used Oil
- Use a dirt-free pan that can hold as many quarts as your car's crankcase and that has NOT been used for paint, cleaning solvents, antifreeze, or anything besides motor oil.
- Pour your used oil from the drain pan into a container with a leakproof lid -- a rinsed-out plastic milk jug, for instance. Use a funnel to avoid spills. Don't mix or blend your oil with anything else.
- If you change your oil filter, drain the old one by punching a hole in the top and inverting it over your drain pan. Dispose of the old filter by putting some paper towels over the hole. Then put the old filter and paper towels in the box the next filter came in. Place the box in the trash.
- Take the used oil to a used oil collection site during business hours. Please call first to confirm that used oil is still accepted, and/or if there is a charge. Participation in this program is voluntary, so please be considerate and courteous.
- To recycle your used oil container, put the lid back on and save it for your next oil change. Store it away from children and pets.
Read a brochure on how to recycle your oil (119 KB, PDF format) or en Espanol Recicle el Aceite Usado de Automóvil (118 KB, PDF format).
Used Motor Oil Collection Centers
| Name of Center | Motor Oil? | Oil Filter? | Antifreeze? | Address | Phone Number |
| Arlington Household Hazardous Waste Program | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3151 South Fern St. | 228-6832 |
| Carter's Amoco | Yes | Yes | No | 4625 Columbia Pike | 521-2858 |
| Jiffy Lube (50 cents/gallon fee) | Yes | Yes | Yes | 950 N. Jackson Street | 522-6768 |
| Lee Harrison Mobil | Yes | No | No | 5510 Lee Highway | 228-6832 |
| Northern Virginia Automotive, Inc. | Yes | No | No | 3900 S. Four Mile Run Dr. | 671-6264 |
| Reinhart's Garage | Yes | No | No | 3203 Lee Highway | 528-8820 |
| Westover Service Center-Citgo | Yes | No | No | 5618 Lee Highway | 534-2230 |
| Wilson Blvd Amoco ($2.00 fee up to a max of 6 gallons) | Yes | No | No | 5000 Wilson Boulevard | 528-9147 |
Household Battery Disposal
Because Arlington's trash is incinerated at a waste-to-energy plant, residents are encouraged to keep most batteries types (except alkaline and carbon-zinc household varieties) out of the waste stream. Batteries can contain heavy metals that have to be removed from the emissions of the waste-to-energy plant. Rechargeable batteries, as well as lithium, silver-oxide, and mercury batteries should be deposited in special orange collection boxes located at most Arlington County Fire Stations or brought to the HHW drop-off site. These batteries enter the County's Household Hazardous Waste program, where they are either disposed of properly or recycled. Alkaline and carbon-zinc household batteries should be disposed of along with the regular trash.
Arlington County Fire Stations with Battery Recycling Containers
| Fire Station 1 | 228-0101 | 500 S. Glebe Road |
| Fire Station 2 | 228-0102 | 4805 Wilson Boulevard |
| Fire Station 4 | 228-0104 | 3121 N. 10th Street |
| Fire Station 5 | 228-0105 | 1750 S. Hayes Street |
| Fire Station 7 | 228-0107 | 3116 S. Abingdon Street |
| Fire Station 8 | 228-0108 | 4845 Lee Highway |
| Fire Station 9 | 228-0109 | 1900 S. Walter Reed Drive |
| Fire Station 10 | 228-0110 | 1559 Wilson Boulevard |
Fire Stations 2, 5 and 8 have aluminum can collection trailers.
