Canterbury Councils set up network to collect used motor oil
2 May 2003
Canterbury Councils have joined to set up a network of 16 sites where people
can dispose of used motor oil in an environmentally friendly way.
The
collection points, at a selection of refuse stations throughout
Canterbury, have been set up for householders rather than commercial
operators. The oil collected will either be refined again for reuse
or will be used
by Holcim (previously Milburn Cement) as an alternative to coal
for fuel at its Westport cement kiln. The Holcim kiln burns so
hot it destroys 99.99%
of contaminants in the oil. Last year the company took 13.5m litres
of used oil from throughout the country.
A study done in 1999 suggests
that while Canterbury generates about 3.5 million litres of used
oil a year, only 2.6m litres is collected
and reused. Of the unaccounted for 900,000 litres, it is thought
a lot is illegally
disposed of in landfills.
“
Dumping used oil into the environment has huge effects,” says
project manager Laine Phillips of the Christchurch City Council. ”A
single litre can contaminate a million litres of drinking water,
so it’s important that people dispose of their used oil responsibly
and these new oil recovery facilities make it easy.
“
If you’re changing the oil in your car, boat, lawnmower or
any other gear at home, then you need to dispose of that used oil
appropriately,” Mr Phillips says. “This service gives
you a way to do that.”
Christchurch City's three transfer stations (on Parkhouse Road, Styx Mill
Road and Metro Place) are taking part in the scheme. For more information
about the location of these and other recovery centres around the region,
please go to www.ecan.govt.nz/Waste/index.html on the web.
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