In a move to curb contaminants the South African road freight industry has been urged to properly store and collect used oil for recycling.
More than seven million litres of used oil are generated by the trucking industry each year, a significant number considering that just one litre of used oil can contaminate one million litres of water.
And according to Bubele Nyiba, CEO of the ROSE (Recycling Oil Saves the Environment) Foundation, most people do not know of the environmental threats associated with the dumping of used oil.
“Many people don’t know that used lubricant oil is dangerous as it contains harmful toxins and cancer-causing agents. Dumped, it seeps into rivers and lakes, contaminating our water,” said Nyiba.
For the proper collection and storage of used oil, the oil must be drained into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a reusable combination drain pan or storage container to avoid any spillage. Furthermore, a registered ROSE oil collector will come and gather the oil to recycle in a safe manner, issuing a safe disposal certificate after collection.
“Your collector must always issue you with a safe disposal certificate which is now required by law under the Waste Act.”
Under the act, companies which generate more than 20kg of used lubrication oil per day are required to register on the South African Waste Information System (SAWIS), and once registered, generators will need to submit figures to SAWIS every 90 days.
“In short, if you generate in excess of 20kg of used oil per day, you are required to register on the South African Waste Information System (SAWIS),” Nyiba concluded. – Bjorn Vorster
