Firestone launches pilot program for 'nation's first environmentally friendly oil change service'

Each of the 17 Firestone Complete Auto Care store locations throughout the greater Portland, Ore., area now offers what the company calls “the nation’s only environmentally friendly oil change service.”

“This new option in oil changes will help customers in one of the nation’s greenest cities lead even cleaner, greener and more environmentally conscious lifestyles,” says John Sheerin, environmental director for Bridgestone Firestone Retail & Commercial Operations (BFRC). “BFRC and Firestone Complete Auto Care recognize that today’s customers want to protect the environment. That’s why we decided to offer a service that reflects that concern.”

Firestone is the first of the major chains in the automotive repair industry to offer customers a “greener” oil change service, he notes.

The environmentally friendly oil change service uses a recycled, twice refined, high-quality motor oil product called EcoPower. The re-refined motor oil, which meets or exceeds the highest North American standards for motor oil performance in gasoline engines, requires up to 85 percent less energy to produce than regular motor oil, according to Sheerin.

Also, because EcoPower is made from existing used oil stocks, it helps conserve the earth’s limited natural resources and supports environmental sustainability, he says, adding how Firestone “closes the loop on oil recycling by ensuring that oil removed from vehicles during oil changes is sent to a re-refiner so it can be reused.”

Sheerin poinyts out that “by offering new services like the environmentally friendly oil change, and continuing to make our traditional services as eco-conscious as possible, BFRC can continue to meet the needs of the customers and communities we serve.”

Firestone’s stores were also the first in the repair industry to commit to using steel wheel weights instead of traditional lead wheel weights, according to Sheerin.

Throughout the country, the company’s store locations recycle tires, car batteries, oil and oil filters, antifreeze, Freon, and many other automotive products, he said. Community members also have the opportunity to bring in used oil and automotive batteries from do-it-yourself (DIY) projects for proper recycling at no cost to the consumer.

BFRC has more than 2,000 vehicle service and tire locations across the United States, including Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, ExpertTire and Wheel Works.