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Used oil services
BME has been reliably employing used oil in the manufacturing of its standard Bulk Emulsion for over 30 years and is a technology leader in this respect.
In order to secure the high volume of used oil required by BME for its own use, BME has developed its own used oil collection network and processing facilities. Currently BME consumes more than 20% of the total available used oil in South Africa.
An approved collector and processor
The ROSE Foundation was established in 1994 by the major lubricant companies. ROSE (Recycling Oil Saves the Environment) manages the environmentally acceptable collection, storage and processing of used lubricating oil in South Africa.
ROSE together with some existing collectors and BME facilitated the formation of NORA-SA in November 2005.
NORA-SA
(National Oil Recycling Association of South Africa):
- Encourages and promotes the recovery and recycling of used oil
- Ensures a sustainable environmentally responsible, a viable and well-organised industry
- Promotes a code of conduct and good practice among members
- Lobbies Government to develop enabling and empowering legislation to support and manage the industry
- Engages with other organisations with similar objectives for the benefit of the environment
Reducing the impact on the environment
Before we can appreciate innovative ways to reuse and recycle waste oil, we have to understand the damage it can cause to not only the environment, but to ourselves and our health. One litre of used oil can contaminate one million litres of water. That is enough water to fill half an Olympic sized swimming pool. Government understands that mismanagement of used oil waste streams can have a significant negative impact on the environment and the economy and they have therefore put measures in place to ensure control and compliance.
It is the responsibility of a used oil generator to track the waste oil from Cradle to Grave. In other words, from the source of where the used oil is generated until it is either treated or disposed of and is no longer hazardous.
BME moves past the concept of complying with regulations and achieving minimum requirements. Used Oil collected by BME is not taken through the cradle to grave process, instead we collect the waste oil at the cradle or source of generation and then we process it and create a new raw material used in the manufacture of cold emulsions. The BME Used Oil Department has put strict measures in place in order to manage the transportation, storage and processing of the used oil waste stream. Thereby ensuring supply of a raw material free of contaminants and pollutants and contributing towards a high quality end product.
Waste legislation
The National Waste Information Regulations gazetted in terms of the National Environmental Waste Act No. 59 of 2008 is to regulate the collection of data and information to fulfil the objectives of the national waste information system as set out in Section 61 of the Waste Act.
The regulations have taken effect on the 1st of January 2013. Classification of waste is a legal requirement and generators must ensure that their waste is correctly classified in terms of SANS 10234 within 180 days of generation.
Another important point to note is that waste must be kept separate for the purpose of classification and may not be mixed after or prior to classification. Used oil is classified as Waste Oil, however when you mix your used oil with either petrol or antifreeze, it is no longer considered non-hazardous, but moves to the hazardous category because it has been mixed with a highly flammable and hazardous product.
How does the new legislation affect you?
If you generate more than 20 kgs (that is roughly about 22 and a half litres) of waste a day, you need to register on SAWIS (The South African Waste Information System)
The following information needs to be submitted quarterly:
- Month and Year to which the information applies
- Categories of Waste
- Source of the Waste
- Waste Quantity to be reported in tonnes
Waste disposal certificate example
All this information needs to be kept for 5 years and must be made available for inspection by government on request
FAILURE TO COMPLY COULD LEAD TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 15 YEARS.
ALTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN FACE AN APPROPRIATE FINE
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