The used oil recycling facility at Creston’s Comfort Welding recently received an eco-friendly upgrade to its infrastructure.

A 20-foot modified sea container was implemented, which houses a new 2,200-litre tank that has replaced the facility’s old collection tank.

The upgrades were made possible through a $25,000 return collection facility (RCF) grant from BC Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA), a non-for-profit group that is dedicated to collecting and recycling lubricating oil, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze and antifreeze containers.

“This facility is top class. I’m not aware of anything like it in the world for taking back used oil,” said David Lawes, the CEO of BCUOMA.

The facility accepts used motor oil, oil filters and anti-freeze. Cooking oil, gasoline and other hazardous liquids are not permitted for recycling at the site.

According to Lawes, the modified sea container’s graded floor will collect any drips or spills that may occur when residents visit the facility to recycle their used oil. The new 2,200-litre tank will house the used oil, keeping it free from contamination.

“We’re lucky in BC that three-quarters of collected used motor oil gets turned back into new motor oil. That only happens if people bring it back, quick and clean, instead of leaving it sitting in their garage and getting contaminated,” he said. “We store it in these facilities for the collector to come and pick it up. It’s not sitting in a barrel outside where it can get water contamination.”

There are 300 public collection facilities throughout the province that are managed by BCUOMA’s RCF program, where approximately 50 million litres of oil and three million litres of antifreeze are collected and handled every year.

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