Does Autozone Take Used Antifreeze? (Explained) (2024)

Antifreeze might be useful to car owners, but it is also very toxic if not handled properly.

The proper disposal of antifreeze is important as it will preserve the lovely environment that sustains humans.

A few auto companies offer services you may need if you have used antifreeze which you need to dispose of properly.

Thus, this begs the question, is AutoZone one of such companies that offer recycling services?

AutoZone does have recycling services. AutoZone is one of the few auto retailers that provide recycling services for fluids like antifreeze. Due to the somewhat complex method of recycling antifreeze, most recycling companies don’t like getting involved because it may prove expensive. AutoZone has equipment that is useful in recycling antifreeze.

Will Autozone Take Used Antifreeze?

Most AutoZone stores will accept old and unused antifreeze as they possess machines that recycle antifreeze and make it worthy of use again.

However, due to the complexity of these machines and recycling, not all outlets have them in their possession.

Hence, it is important to contact them via their local line and ask if they can recycle used antifreeze.

AutoZone has many outlets all over the United States, and one is near your location.

AutoZone is one of the largest retailers of aftermarket auto parts and supplies.

The company has some of the best antifreeze products for vehicles and trucks. Do you have an SUV? AutoZone has got you covered.

AutoZone has some of the most popular antifreeze products on its shelves, some of which are the 50/50 and Dex-Cool antifreeze.

What Used Fluids Does Autozone Take?

AutoZone accepts all sorts of used oil and fluids. Most retail stores accept used motor oil, gear oil, transmission fluid, automotive oil, and antifreeze.

All these fluids are hazardous waste that most recycling facilities don’t accept because they don’t have the equipment to recycle them.

AutoZone retail outlets also accept other sensitive recyclables like batteries; batteries also have fluids.

These fluids have some non-renewable ingredients obtained from natural gas and crude petroleum. Both sources are non-renewable and quickly depleting.

Hence, AutoZone helps recycle these products to preserve the earth’s limited natural resources.

Antifreeze is a mixture of water, additives, and ethylene or propylene glycol.

Ethylene and propylene glycols are the primary ingredients of antifreeze, and the sources are mainly crude petroleum or natural gas.

AutoZone may be open to collecting used oil. However, some states have laws that prohibit auto part stores from collecting used oil.

Hence, you need to check if your state laws don’t hinder AutoZone from accepting your used oil.

Asides from legislative constraints, you can take used oil to AutoZone in proper containers, and they will accept it.

However, you must ensure that the fluid you take to them is free from mixes.

For instance, if you are taking motor oil, then it should be purely motor oil, don’t mix any other fluid in it for any reason as they won’t accept it.

If you are worried about what AutoZone does with used oil, don’t be. AutoZone recycles the products themselves and makes them ready for use again.

They also sell used oil to oil processing plants that re-manufacture the fluid and turn it into other products.

Hence, they aren’t dumping used oil into the ground or at a landfill somewhere.

They take whatever quantity you can supply them with, add it, make a large shipment, and send it to a larger manufacturer who can process the fluid.

That is if they don’t have the proper machinery to handle such a fluid.

How Much To Dispose of Used Antifreeze?

You may think you might get some money from selling used antifreeze since you can get money from selling used motor oil.

However, antifreeze is a little more complicated than that. Recycling used antifreeze requires certain methods and machinery that most auto shops don’t have.

Hence, making the process a little costly to maintain. That is why most auto shops don’t accept used antifreeze.

Even if you find an auto shop willing to collect your antifreeze, you must pay them to dispose of it properly.

The charge for proper disposal is usually between $0.10 to $0.40 per pound of antifreeze. Thus, you can’t sell used antifreeze in most cases.

However, a dealer might still be willing to pay you to take your used antifreeze off your hands, but that is the dealer’s choice.

No matter the case, you should never pour antifreeze down the drain.

Antifreeze houses toxic chemicals like methanol, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol, which are all harmful to nature and man.

The fluid also contains heavy metals like lead which are highly toxic to nature.

What makes these compounds even more dangerous is their resilience. They don’t decompose or break down into simpler compounds over time.

Furthermore, antifreeze has a sweet smell that attracts animals who won’t hesitate to storm the drains and get poisoned.

The fluid may leave your drain, but it will end up in your city’s water supply, which will be more dangerous.

The bottom line, avoid disposing of your used antifreeze in the drain or anywhere at all.

Don’t throw it into the environment as it will only leach to the surroundings and release toxins that are deadly to plants and animals.

Hence, a few outlets assist in the disposal and recycling of used oil, one antifreeze.

One such outlet is AutoZone, do take your used oil to one of their outlets sometimes.

Below is a table detailing the types of oils and reusable materials AutoZone is open to taking from you and the maximum quantity the retail store will accept: