EcoCentre Information
Used oil is Canada’s single largest source of
potentially hazardous material if not managed properly, and used antifreeze is
toxic to people and animals. As well, the containers used to store these
materials take up valuable landfill space if dumped and take hundreds if not
thousands of years to decompose. Burning these containers releases harmful
toxins into the air and the atmosphere. Used oil filters may contain residual
oil that, if dumped in our landfill, will seep into the ground, and contaminate
local groundwater. Therefore, it is essential that Canadians recycle our used
oil and antifreeze products.
The EcoCentre provides a safe way to recycle your used
oil, oil filters, oil jugs, antifreeze, and antifreeze jugs. The EcoCentre is
open whenever the landfill is open, and it has never been easier to give your
used oil products a new use. Our EcoCentre has a specially designed 4,500 litre
oil storage tank, and storage bins for used filters and containers. No
materials brought to our EcoCentre are disposed of in the landfill. The staff
at our EcoCentre are trained to practice safe handling of products and ensuring
that products brought in are acceptable for recycling. We cannot accept used
oil that is contaminated, or mixed with any liquids such as water, paint
thinner, solvents, bleach, antifreeze, gasoline, PCBs, household chemicals,
insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, or grease.
It’s not just oil that can be disposed of at our
EcoCentre! Any of the products listed here can be brought in:
Oil – any petroleum or synthetic crankcase oil, engine
oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, heat transfer fluid or
other fluid used for lubricating purposes in machinery or equipment.
Oil Filters – any spin-on or element oil filter used
in hydraulic, transmission or internal combustion engine application- includes
diesel fuel filters but does not include gasoline fuel filters.
Oil Containers – any plastic container with a capacity
of less than 30 litres that is manufactured to hold oil.
Antifreeze – any ethylene glycol or propylene glycol
vehicle engine coolant.
Antifreeze Containers – any plastic container with a
capacity of less than 30 litres that is manufactured to hold antifreeze.
The Municipality partners with the Manitoba
Association for Resource Recovery Corp (MARRC) and with the province of
Manitoba. The Municipality provides the EcoCentre collection depot, where the
oil and products are then picked up from for further processing.
Oil brought into our EcoCentre can be re-refined into
new lubricant that is completely restored of its original lubricating
properties. Re-refining used oil takes only one-third of the energy of refining
crude oil to the same quality. Re-refined oils meet all new car lubricating
specifications. Used oil can also be re-refined into fuel for burning in
various heaters or can be burnt directly for energy. Oil filters are shredded,
heated to a molten state, and reused in other metal products such as rebar,
nails, and wire. Empty oil jugs can be recycled into new containers, plastic
flowerpots, plastic pipe, guardrails, fence posts, and plastic patio furniture.
For a child-friendly interactive video about used oil
recycling, please visit http://usedoilrecycling.com/en/mb/ecoschool
For more information, please visit http://usedoilrecycling.com/en/mb/
