Updated: An upgraded used oil recycling facility is now open at the West Chilcotin Landfill northwest of Nimpo Lake.
“The Cariboo Regional District runs the facility…,”said David Lawes, Executive Director of the BC Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA).
“They had been running the facility and collecting used oil, but the infrastructure they had there wasn’t very good. So they created a grant application, sent it to us, and we approved the grant and got our best infrastructure out there.”
The 20 ft. sea container has modified flooring to make sure any drips fall through to the tray, a double-walled tank inside, and signage. It was manufactured in Richmond, B.C.
“I hope that this infrastructure increases the amount that we get there. I would say we’ve collected in the thousands of liters through the West Chilcotin Landfill but I hope we can increase that by several thousands of liters.”
Lawes added that the Cariboo Regional District has selected one of BCUOMA’s registered collection companies to work with them.
“They will come with a big tank truck, pump out the tanks with the oil and the antifreeze, as well as collect the containers and filters. They’ll take that all back to a recycling facility, ” he said.
“Most of the oil in British Columbia, about three-quarters of it, gets turned back into new lubricating oil, so that’s a really good environmental and economic story. All the antifreeze that is collected gets cleaned up and sold as new antifreeze product.”
(Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to clarify the location of the West Chilcotin Landfill that is 310 kilometers outside of Williams Lake.)