What happens if you put Used motor oil in the wrong bin?

Never pour oil down a drain, onto the ground or into a watercourse. Never burn it in an open fire or use it to treat fence posts or lay dust. Never put a container of oil in a wheelie bin.

Where do Used motor oil go?

Household waste centre oil bank, or a garage that accepts it. One container of it contaminates an enormous volume of water.

Household waste recycling centre

Used engine oil picks up metals, fuel and combustion products, and the EPA's long-standing figure is that a single gallon can contaminate a million gallons of fresh water. It is also endlessly re-refinable: waste oil goes back into base oil or into fuel, and the collection network exists because the material has value. Household waste centres have an oil bank, and many garages and motor factors take small quantities from the public. Keep it separate from everything else, because oil mixed with antifreeze or solvent becomes a much harder and more expensive waste to treat. Not every site has an oil bank, and local limits on quantity are common, so check before driving over with a full container.

How to prepare it

Drain into a clean container with a screw cap and label it.
Keep the oil filter separate — it goes in the filter bin, not the oil bank.
Do not mix in antifreeze, brake fluid or solvent.

What not to do

Never pour oil down a drain, onto the ground or into a watercourse.
Never burn it in an open fire or use it to treat fence posts or lay dust.
Never put a container of oil in a wheelie bin.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to household waste recycling centre

Leftover wet paint Household waste centre or a community paint reuse scheme. Liquid paint is not accepted in any household bin.
Car batteries (lead-acid) Garage, scrap yard or household waste centre. Lead-acid is the most successfully recycled consumer product there is.
Small electricals (kettles, toasters, hair dryers) Electrical waste. Household waste centre, a shop take-back point, or a kerbside small-electricals sack if your council runs one.
Pyrex and heat-resistant glassware Never the glass bin. Ovenware is formulated not to melt like bottle glass, and one fragment can ruin a whole batch.
Televisions and monitors WEEE recycling. Old CRT sets contain several kilograms of leaded glass.
CFL energy-saving bulbs Household waste centre or a shop take-back point. They contain mercury and must not be binned.
LED bulbs Small electricals recycling. No mercury, but they are electronics, not glass.
Drinking glasses and wine glasses Not the glass bin. Tableware glass has a different composition from bottle glass.
Smoke alarms Household waste centre or manufacturer return. Ionisation alarms contain a tiny sealed radioactive source.
Crockery, mugs and ceramics Not glass and not recyclable at the kerb. Donate what is whole; broken pieces go to the household waste centre or general waste.
Fluorescent tubes Household waste centre, intact. Mercury inside, and a tube that breaks in transit is a spill.
Camping gas canisters and butane cartridges Household waste centre, as gas cylinders — not the metal skip and never a bin, whether or not they feel empty.
Fire extinguishers Household waste centre or a fire equipment company. It is pressurised until a professional has discharged it.
Mirrors Household waste centre. The reflective backing means it is not recyclable glass.

Common questions

Where do Used motor oil go?: Household waste centre oil bank, or a garage that accepts it. One container of it contaminates an enormous volume of water.
What happens if you put Used motor oil in the wrong bin?: Never pour oil down a drain, onto the ground or into a watercourse. Never burn it in an open fire or use it to treat fence posts or lay dust. Never put a container of oil in a wheelie bin.

Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste centre or a community paint reuse scheme. Liquid paint is not accepted in any household bin.
Where do Car batteries (lead-acid) go? Garage, scrap yard or household waste centre. Lead-acid is the most successfully recycled consumer product there is.
Where do Small electricals (kettles, toasters, hair dryers) go? Electrical waste. Household waste centre, a shop take-back point, or a kerbside small-electricals sack if your council runs one.
Where do Pyrex and heat-resistant glassware go? Never the glass bin. Ovenware is formulated not to melt like bottle glass, and one fragment can ruin a whole batch.
Where do Televisions and monitors go? WEEE recycling. Old CRT sets contain several kilograms of leaded glass.
Where do CFL energy-saving bulbs go? Household waste centre or a shop take-back point. They contain mercury and must not be binned.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Mobile phones go? Shop or manufacturer take-back

Sources

US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked