GIRO will be reinstating the used oil service after funding received from RDN
In July due to an unsatisfactory service, GIRO chose to leave the British Columbia Used-Oil Management Association (BCUOMA). BCUOMA is a stewardship program established in 2004 to administer the collection and proper processing of used-oil and anti-freeze. In the last two years there have been several incidents in BC of used-oil being contaminated with PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls). The cost to have contaminated oil transported to Alberta for incineration is as high as $35,000 for a tank our size. BCUOMA offer no liability coverage for this potential liability, and it is up to individual facilities to cover the costs. A rural gulf island facility like GIRO is not as high a risk for potential PCB contamination as a city depot, but it is still a possibility.
As used-oil is still the number one contaminant found in ground water, GIRO has been looking for a viable solution to be able to offer this important service to islanders again.
To begin accepting used-oil again and meet environmental safety regulations we needed to upgrade our tank to a double walled unit. The cost of a new 4200 litre double walled tank is approximately $6,300. We requested funding for this from the RDN and were approved on August 22nd.
The tank will be here in October and there will be a $1 per litre drop off fee. This fee will enable us to cover the costs of running the service ourselves independent of BCUOMA.
For the time being if you have used-oil that you would like to dispose of, please take it to the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange on Kenworth Street.
Many thanks to Howard Houle and the RDN for their support with this request.
Michelle MacEwen
General Manager
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