The City of Santa Clarita will be distributing free used oil recycling kits to City residents at the upcoming “Valencia AutoSpa Charity Cruise Night”, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on June 3, 2006.

The event address is 23440 Valencia Blvd. in Santa Clarita. Used oil can contain such contaminants as lead, magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, chlorides, cadmium, and chlorinated compounds. Oil poured down drains or onto the ground can work its way into our ground and surface waters and cause serious pollution. One gallon of used oil can foul a million gallons of drinking water. Federal reports indicate that used motor oil accounts for more than 40 percent of the total oil pollution of our nation's harbors and waterways.

The kits, purchased with grant funding from the California Integrated Waste Management Board, include a collection container, funnel, shop rag, filter bag, spill mat, and tire gauge. The City is distributing the kits as part of a coordinated effort to increase participation in the city’s curbside used oil and filter recycling program, as well as raise overall environmental awareness about the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Following kit pick-up at the Valencia AutoSpa Charity Cruise Night, residents can call Curbside Inc. at 1-800-HHW-PKUP (1-800-449-7587) to schedule home collection of the oil and filters; or residents can take their used oil and filters to a local Certified Collection Center.

For a list of locations, call 1-800-CLEAN-UP or visit www.1800cleanup.org.

The kits are also distributed at other auto and community events, as well as City Hall. Call the City’s Environmental Services Division at (661) 286-4098 for more information on distribution dates and locations. Proof of Santa Clarita residency is required for a free kit.