42 - Friday, September 25, 1992 — North Shore News

First Recovery program targets used motor oil

EEFFECTIVE SEPT. 1, anyone who sells motor oil in the province must accept used oil free of charge for recycling.

By A.P. McCredie Automotive Reporter

The recycling program is an oil

industry initiative that is the first of its kind in Canada. it has been made a new provincial govern- ment regulation by B.C. En- vironment Minister John Cashore. ’ The regulation states that all retailers, wholesalers and distributors of motor oil must provide the facilities —- on-site or nearby — to hold and store used oil from customers.

Consumers who change their own motor oil can now make sure that their used oil is recycled —~ with First Recovery, the national used motor oil recovery system for do-it-yourselfers.

Professional mechanics and oil change shops have had the ability for years to recycle used motor oil.

Until now, the process has not been available to do-it-yourselfers because of technical difficulties in designing a tank that could meet government and safety specifica- tions.

The First Recovery program was developed by Valvoline in an effort to address the potential en- vironmental damage created by the more than 125 million litres of used motor oil that is improperly discarded every year by Canadians who change their own oil.

Each year, more than three times as much oil as was lost dur- ing the Valdez oil spiil in Alaska is being thrown in the trash, poured down sewers and in back yards, damaging the environment.

“We have worked diligently with the Ministry of the Environ- ment, the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute and fire mar-

shals across British Columbia to ensure that used motor oil becomes a reality. The First Re- covery program will provide con- sumers with a convenient way to protect the environment,’’ says Bill Dempsey, vice-president and general manager of Valvoline Canada Ltd.

“The success of any used oil management system in Canada depends on how comprehensive and accessible it is to do-it- yourselfers,’’ says Michael S. NeNeil, president of the Canadian Automobile Association. ‘‘Pro- grams such as First Recovery en- courage participation by offering consumers a simple, effective. and environmentally friendly method to dispose of their used oil."

To maintain the safety and quality controls necessary in ccl- lecting used motor oil, First Re- covery relies on automotive supply retailers to reach do-it-yourself consumers.

The oil is collected in First Re-

Currently scheduled BC. Ferry sailings

THE FOLLOWING are the current schedules for B.C. Ferry Corp. routes between the mainland, Vancouver Isiand and Langdale: ° :

© Horseshoe’ Bay to Nanaimo “and Nanaimo. to Horseshoe Bay: In effect until June 24, 1993:

Leave Horseshce Bay daily at.7 am., 9 a.m., I! am., 1 _p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m, and 9 p.m.

Leave Nanaimo daily at 7 a.m., 9am., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 Pn. Spm., 7 p.m. and 9

- "Horseshoe Bay to Langdale and Langdale to Herseshoe Bay: In effect until June’ a4,

1993.

_. Leave Horseshoe Bay at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 am., 1:15) p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:25 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. There will also be extra sailings

- at J1 p.m. on Oct. 12 and May

24,

Leave Langdale at 6:20 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:25 p.m., 2:30. p.m., 4:30 p.m.,

. 6:30 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. There will also’ be extra sailings: at 10:10 p.m. on Oct. 12 and May 24 :

@ Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay and Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen: In effect until Nov. 15, 1992: :

Leave Tsawwassen daily —

every hour on the hour from 7 am. to 7 p.m. plus a last departure at 9 p.m. There will also be extra sailings at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Fridsys, Sun- days and Oct. 12.

Leave Swartz Bay daily every hour on the hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. plus a last departure at 9 p.m. There will also be ex- tra sailings at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Fridays, Sundays and Oct. 12:

@ Tsawwassen to Nanaimo

. and Nanaimo to Tsawwassen:

Effective daily:

. Leave both terminals at 5:30 am., 8 am., 10:36 am., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m., LP p.m.

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covery’s storage tanks, which are located in retail outlets. The oil is checked for impurities, such as paint and anti-freeze. and if ac- ceptable is poured into First Re- covery’s tank. (Unacceptable oil is collected and disposed of properly by municipalities on an annual collection day.)

When the tanks become full, the used motor oi! is transported to a re-refiner who recycles the oil and makes new environmentally safe products,

A North Shore re-refining plant operated by Mohawk Oil has been recovering used oil for over a de- cade, and for the past four years has been supplying all B.C. gov- ernment vehicles and aif B.C. Transit buses with recycled oil.

A fleet of it trucks service the Mohawk oil recycling program, picking up oil throughout the Lower Mainland and transporting it to the North Shore plant.

“We have a capacity to re- refine some 33 million litres of oi! a year,'’ said Mohawk spokesman Don O’Conner.

But up until now, the plant has operated at about 80% capacity. O'Conner is hoping that the in- creased push on recovering oil in the province will push the world-

class North Vancouver facility to

full operating potential.

“Mohawk thinks that the public teally wants to sée complete re- covery of all oil used in vehicles, ’’

said O'Conner. ‘Other alter- natives include burning used cil to create energy, but it (used oil) still doesn’t burn as cleanly as natural gas.’’

O'Conner also said that the recycled oil sold by Mohawk — composed of about 60% of the origional used oil plus additives — works just as well as uew oil derived from crude.

The used motor oil is recycled using a process of dehydration, evaporation and distiliation that is. virtually pollution-free and pro- duces by-products that are en- vironmenially safe.

For example, used motor oil can be recycled to create a residue that is used in asphalt.

Valvoline anticipates that more than 200 First Recovery tanks will be installed within the next year.

‘First Recovery tanks wili be in- stalled in Pro Hardware, United Auto Parts and Uni-Select stores across British Columbia.

““We believe that our customers will appreciate our concern for the environment and discover that First Recovery is a simple but ef- fective waste management pro- gram,’’ says Bill Wilson, vice- president of merchandising, D.H. Howden Co. Ltd., which expects to install First Recovery tanks in more than 20 Pro Hardware and - Do-It Center stores in British Columbia. .

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