Christina Millington
Omineca Express
Reduce, reuse and recycle.
The BC Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA), non-profit, has put British Columbia on the map for its recovery initiatives regarding the reuse of oil and antifreeze containers.
BCUOMA is responsible for recovering 87 percent of used oil and antifreeze containers according to their website.
Summer Ambassadors from BCUOMA made their way through town on July 10 bringing awareness to Vanderhoof residents of the importance of the proper disposal of oil filters and antifreeze containers.
Emily Lovie, an ambassador from Vancouver and Ali Omelaniec from Langley, both studying at Simon Fraser University has made her environmental footprint with her voice in hopes to stand firmly behind this initiative.
“We have had a lot of positive community feedback during our travels across British Columbia,” she said. “Its our way to get the word out and educate the public.”
BCUOMA has been undertaking this project since 2003 province wide being responsible for the highest recovery rate in the country.
According the Lovie, one litre contaminates one million litres of water. “One drop makes a difference.”
With the collection and reuse of oil filters, they are being used to reinforce steel once they are re-refined.
Online reports indicate that since the program launched in 2003, recovery rates for used oil and oil-related products have seen promising improvements.
However, there is still just over a million litres of oil that is improperly disposed of each year in used oil filters and oil containers that are tossed in landfills instead of being brought to a return collection facility.
With headquarters in Chilliwack, BC and 520 return collection facilities across the province, BCUOMA is making a difference one drop at a time.
Program funded by Environmental Handling Charges (EHC).