Collecting and recycling lubricant bottles in the United States remains a significant challenge due to the residual oil left in containers after use. This leftover product makes it difficult for waste haulers and recycling facilities to accept them, increasing contamination risks and processing costs. Unlike other packaging waste, lubricant bottles represent a small fraction of the overall recycling stream, limiting their priority in broader municipal programs. Alternative collection and recycling methods beyond curbside programs are necessary to address this gap.

The demand for lubricant oil continues to rise alongside vehicle production. In 2024, approximately 15.9 million motor vehicles were produced in the U.S., sustaining a trend of steady growth over the past decade [1]. With more vehicles on the road, the consumption of maintenance products like lubricant oil has also increased, generating a greater volume of used containers. Unfortunately, many of these containers end up in landfills, adding to the ongoing waste management challenges.

Waste haulers often refuse to collect lubricant bottles due to residual oil inside, which complicates handling and increases costs. Unlike standard recyclables, these bottles require specialized processing to remove oil residue. Many waste haulers lack the infrastructure to manage them, reducing collection opportunities. Even when emptied, these containers retain oil traces, contaminating recycling streams. Some are discarded before being fully emptied or repurposed for used oil storage, further complicating processing. Residual oil also affects mechanical recycling, requiring extra cleaning steps that may raise costs and create environmental compliance challenges for liquid waste management.

Recognizing this issue, in 2022, the NLCRC launched a collaborative collection and recycling program in Atlanta, Georgia. The program aimed to address both collection and recycling barriers by engaging multiple stakeholders, including retailers, auto care centers, and community centers as collection points, along with waste haulers, to pilot a more efficient system. By targeting lubricant bottles as a critical gap in the recycling value chain, the program successfully demonstrated that coordinated collection efforts can improve recycling rates and keep more plastic oil bottles out of landfills.

Moving forward, the NLCRC remains committed to fostering collaboration across the value chain. Addressing recycling infrastructure, technology, and best practices requires a collective effort beyond individual companies. The coalition continues to work with stakeholders to develop long-term solutions that enhance the recovery and recycling of lubricant containers.

The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition (NLCRC) is an industry-led initiative funded by a committed consortium of value chain stakeholders. It focuses on establishing solutions for recovering and recycling packaging used for petroleum-based and related products in transportation and industrial applications.

Members include Berry Global, Castrol (part of bp Group), Chevron, CKS Packaging Inc., ExxonMobil, Graham Packaging, Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, Lucas Oil, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Plastipak Packaging, RPM eco, Safety-Kleen, and Valvoline. For more information, visit https://www.nationallcrc.com.

[1] According to Ward Intelligence