Pouring used motor oil into a hole in the ground is not allowed by law anymore. In the old days that was common practice and no one even gave it a second thought. Oil comes from the ground so pouring it into a hole in the ground just kind of made sense at the time.
Today society is better aware of the dangers of doing such things and that it can contaminate drinking water sources. There are also specific laws which forbid dumping oil in the ground or even in the trash dumpster.
But that leaves the question of how does your favorite auto repair shop deal with getting rid of used automobile fluids like oil, gas, windshield wiper fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and more? Do they pour it down the drain? And what about a used oil filter that is saturated with oil? Do they just toss it in the trash can? We sure don't want a landfill full of used oil filters with oil slowly leaking into the ground over time.
Fluid disposal has actually become a big business and there are many companies that exist solely to facilitate the proper handling and disposal of these potentially hazardous materials. Check the internet by doing a local search for these types of companies if you need to get rid of potentially dangerous materials. For some shops though, hiring a company is just not affordable or practical.
Fortunately, many cities and counties have constructed disposal centers that these type of items can be taken to and at no cost dropped off for proper handling. Most of these facilities are conveniently located and easily accessible giving businesses and the general public a safe and free place to drop off these materials. They even accept things like used batteries in addition to general household trash.
If you can't afford a service company to come by and pick up used motor oil, batteries and other similar items search your local area for an approved drop off facility. Using the internet to search for facilities is one way. Enter the topic in your favorite search engine and add your city name to see what results comes up. The best way though is probably to call your local city or county government office and ask them for the location of a disposal site near you. There should be one close by as many years ago most cities and counties began building these types of facilities to make sure people had a place to properly dispose of materials that have proven to be detrimental to the environment.
