PLANO, Texas, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Grease Monkey, a leading Fast Lube franchise, is "going green" with EcoPower, a new high-quality motor oil that is environmentally friendly and comparably priced with standard motor oils. EcoPower is now available in two Richmond, VA, locations.

"EcoPower uses much less energy to produce than oil refined from crude," said Grease Monkey franchisee Roger Bouchard. "We're excited about offering EcoPower because it conserves resources and reduces dependence on foreign crude."

EcoPower is now available at Grease Monkey locations in Richmond at 3308 North Boulevard and 8509 Staples Mill Road.

EcoPower is premium-quality oil produced by re-refining used motor oil and it is certified to meet or exceed the quality standards set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Society of Automotive Engineers for new motor oil. Safety-Kleen, which collected more than 200 million gallons of used oil in 2010 and recycled approximately 139 million gallons into base oil products for use in the marketplace, is North America's largest collector and re-refiner of used oil.

"Offering EcoPower makes solid environmental and business sense," Bouchard said. "Turning used oil into high-quality lubricating products conserves a valuable resource and removes a potential pollutant from the environment. It takes up to 85-percent less energy to produce a gallon of lubricating oil from used oil than to produce the same oil from a gallon of crude, and the end product is identical to traditional motor oils made from crude and meets the same stringent specifications."

For the past 20 years, Safety-Kleen has produced high-quality motor oils for large commercial fleets and the federal government by re-refining used oil the company collects at thousands of car dealerships, automotive retailers and quick-lube facilities across North America. By recycling and re-refining used oil, Safety-Kleen avoids the emissions of more than one million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually when compared to refining from crude and burning used oil for energy, the equivalent to taking 190,000 cars off the road every year.

EcoPower motor oil is now available in 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30 and 15W-40 viscosity grades. In addition, all major U.S. car manufacturers have approved the use of Safety-Kleen SAE 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30 ILSAC-certified motor oil in all their cars. The EcoPower SAE 15W-40 grade has also been approved by leading heavy-duty engine manufacturers.

More information about new EcoPower motor oil is available at www.ecopoweroil.com.

About Grease Monkey International

Grease Monkey International has 250 service centers in the United States, Latin America and China.  Grease Monkey offers "no appointment needed" vehicle preventive maintenance services that meet or exceed vehicle manufacturer specifications and maintain warranty requirements. A Grease Monkey full service oil change includes new oil and filter, check and/or fill of major fluids, light check, tire pressure check and set, interior vacuum and exterior window wash.  Grease Monkey also provides radiator, transmission, and power steering fluid exchange services, wiper blades, tire rotation, engine and cabin air filters, and other preventive maintenance services. Richmond locations are 3308 N Boulevard (804-353-0521) and 8509 Staples Mill Road (804-264-8789). For more information, please go to: www.GreaseMonkeyIntl.com or call 239-997-8007.

About Safety-Kleen

Safety-Kleen is a leading North American used oil recycling and re-refining, parts cleaning and environmental solutions company, with approximately 4,200 employees serving more than 300,000 customer locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Safety-Kleen provides a broad set of environmentally-responsible products and services that keep North American businesses in balance with the environment. For more information, please visit safety-kleen.com/ecopower or call (800) 669-5740.    

SOURCE Safety-Kleen