Oil - ARMA Reports

USED OIL
MATERIALS
RECYCLING
PROGRESS REPORT

MAKING RECYCLING MORE CONVENIENT

Municipalities and Indigenous communities have stepped up and registered 178 used oil materials collection sites (and counting!). Alberta is well on its way to being environmentally covered when it comes to the recycling of used oil, filters and containers.

RESULTS OF OIL RECOVERY

The chart presents results over the last five years. On October 1, 2018 the government transferred management of the program from the Alberta Used Oil Management Association (AUOMA) to Alberta Recycling. With this transition, the fiscal year shifted from calendar to April-March.

OIL FILTERS COLLECTED

The chart presents results over the last five years. As previously noted under the used oil recycling results, with the transition of program management from AUOMA to Alberta Recycling, the fiscal year shifted from calendar to April-March. Since 1997, 155.5 million used oil filters have been collected.

OIL CONTAINERS COLLECTED

This chart presents results over the last five years. Similar to the notes for used oil and filters, with the transition of program management from AUOMA to Alberta Recycling, the fiscal year shifted from calendar to April-March. Since 1997, 40.5 million kilograms of empty oil containers have been collected.

ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
FOR RECYCLERS

An objective of the Used Oil Program is to ensure that all used oil materials are collected and processed by registered recyclers in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Monthly inspections by ARMA and an environmental audit every three years, confirm if the recyclers are following the requirements of the program.

ENVIRONMENTAL FEES AT WORK

The environmental fees that Albertans pay when buying new oil materials are used to help fund the collection and recycling of this material along with other Program-related costs. There are 246 producers and suppliers registered with ARMA who collect these fees on the sale of each eligible product sold in Alberta and remit the funds to ARMA.We value their commitment and diligence as part of the frontline of the used oil materials recycling program.

HOW THE FEES ARE USED

Recycling Expenditures0%

Collection and recycling of used oil materials

Recycling Development0%

R&D; Program awareness

Program Delivery Expenditures0%

Costs to deliver the program

Corporate Administration0%

Corporate costs

ALBERTANS SUPPORT THE
USED OIL MATERIALS
RECYCLING PROGRAM

Since 1997 a staggering amount of used oil materials have been recycled and kept out of the environment. Based on Albertans’ participation over the past 23 years, it’s safe to say that Albertans support the recycling of used oil, oil filters and containers and the proof of this statement is evident in this year’s poll results. They revealed that 86% of Albertans support the program and 64% support the fees.

WHAT HAPPENS TO
YOUR EMPTY CONTAINERS
AND USED FILTERS

Plastic oil containers and metal oil filters are an equally important part of the Used Oil Materials Recycling Program as the environmental fees paid at the time of purchase help fund the collection and recycling of these materials.

The containers are pelletized and used as feedstock for products such as new containers, guardrails, fence posts and railway ties.

Oil filters are crushed (with the residual oil captured) and processed by metal recyclers for manufacturing into industrial materials such as rebar.

CROSS-CANADA COLLABORATION

ARMA works with the other provincial programs through the national working group, the National Used Oil Materials and Antifreeze Council. One of the major initiatives that we collectively implemented was a web-based Environmental Handling Charge remittance application which is designed to streamline, modernize and harmonize the remittance process across the country.

MAKE SURE EVERY DROP COUNTS

If not managed and recycled properly, used oil is our nation’s largest potentially hazardous material. ARMA is committed to making sure used oil materials are handled responsibly and effectively. We are also committed to providing the best possible program to Albertans by capturing all used oil, filters and containers to keep them out of the waste stream, leaving every place better than we found it.

ARMA oversees end-of-life processing of tires, electronics, paint and used oil materials on behalf of the province. Since 1992, ARMA has worked with a broad spectrum of stakeholders to shape recycling policy, create a value-added processing system, minimize waste entering landfills and to act as collective stewards of Alberta’s environment.