How It Works

Oil – any petroleum or synthetic crankcase oil, engine oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, heat transfer fluid or other fluid used for lubricating purposes in machinery or equipment.

Oil Filters – any spin-on or element oil filter used in hydraulic, transmission or internal combustion engine applications – includes diesel fuel filters but does not include gasoline fuel filters.

Oil Containers – any plastic container with a capacity of less than 50 litres that is manufactured to hold oil.

Antifreeze – any ethylene glycol or propylene glycol vehicle engine coolant.

Antifreeze Containers – any plastic container with a capacity of less than 50 litres that is manufactured to hold antifreeze.

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Containers – any plastic container with a capacity of less than 50 litres that is manufactured to hold Diesel Exhaust Fluid.

Used oil is converted into new diesel fuel. It can also be used for energy recovery.

Manitoba’s used oil filters are sent to a processor to be shredded, heated to a molten state and the metals re-used as material for other metal products such as rebar, nails or wire.

Used oil, antifreeze and DEF containers are now recycled into energy using an innovative clean technology called Rapid Organic Conversion. This energy is used for heating water, buildings and generating electricity.

Used antifreeze is recycled into new antifreeze.

2023 Recycling Information:

Used Oil Collected: 15.32 Million Litres of 18.00 Million or 85.1%
Used Oil Filters Collected: 1.93 Million Filters of 2.256 Million or 85.6%
Used Oil, AF & DEF Containers Collected : 305,700 Kgs of 773,400 Kgs = 39.5%
Used Antifreeze Collected: 589,300 Litres of 1,748,200 Litres = 33.7%

Your role in our success is simple.

• Collect the used oil from your vehicle, lawnmower, farm equipment, fishing vessels or other machinery and place it in its original container.
• Do not contaminate the oil with other liquids. Solvents, paint thinner, bleaches, antifreeze, gasoline, PCBs, household chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, grease or water are not accepted. EcoCentre staff have information on where to take contaminated oil.
• Collect your used oil filters and containers and place the filters in a clean container.
  Return your used oil & antifreeze materials to the nearest EcoCentre or Collection Point during operating hours.
• Tell others about this service.

The Collection Depot Network: EcoCentres

Public Collection Points – Convenient provincial networks of used oil materials collection depots serve small volume oil consumers such as individual motorists, farmers and small commercial operators who service their own vehicles and equipment. Consumers can transport their recyclable used oil materials to the nearest EcoCentre.

Each EcoCentre contains a specially designed 4,500 litre oil storage tank and disposal bins for filters and containers. Used oil and antifreeze materials are gathered by registered collectors and transported to registered processors for recycling and reuse. No materials are disposed of in municipal landfills. Policies, operations manuals and training programs for the EcoCentres have been established, tested and proven. EcoCentre staff are responsible for ensuring the materials are acceptable for recycling and informing consumers of how to properly dispose of unacceptable products.

In Alberta, many Alberta Bottle Depot Association members are equipped to accept these materials. In Saskatchewan, some SARCAN recycling centres and SARC member centres are also equipped to accept these materials. In Manitoba, 6 Canadian Tire sites, 3 – 4R Recycling Centres and several used oil material collectors are also licensed depots in Winnipeg.

If there is no purpose-built EcoCentre in your area, don’t worry! There are over 1,400 registered collection points across western Canada equipped to accept your used oil materials for recycling.

The Role of BCUOMA, ARMA, SARRC, MARRC, SOGHU & SOGHU Atlantic:

Managing programs and developing a network of facilities to make used oil and antifreeze materials recycling easy!

Canadian used oil recycling programs are overseen by the following Associations:

• British Columbia Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA)
• Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA)
• Saskatchewan Association for Resource Recovery Corp. (SARRC)
• Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery Corp. (MARRC)
• Société de gestion des huiles usagées (SOGHU)
• Atlantic Used Oil Management Association (SOGHU Atlantic) representing New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador

Working cooperatively, the six Associations have overseen the development of a network of over 1,800 facilities that accept used oil materials for recycling. This has been achieved by building on the strengths of existing private sector suppliers and recyclers for maximum results and efficiency.

The associations that guide the Canadian used oil recycling programs exist to promote and facilitate the recovery of valuable, non-renewable resources by providing consumers (small volume users such as do-it-yourselfers and farmers) with a simple, convenient way to dispose of used oil, used oil filters and used oil containers. Each operates a single, comprehensive, cost-effective, sustainable and province-wide program.

Our work has created new business opportunities by promoting the expansion of a strong and competitive private-sector recycling industry. The programs are self-sustaining – no government funding is required. They also afford the efficiency and effectiveness of an industry-managed program requiring minimal regulation.

The provincial associations work cooperatively to market and manage programs for consumers, members and collectors.

Government-Approved Program – No government funds are used for Canada’s used oil materials recycling programs. The provincial associations (BCUOMA, ARMA, SARRC, MARRC, SOGHU and UOMA Atlantic) generate their own revenue and manage their own funds and their own debts.

The programs reflect provincial Waste Management Advisory Groups’ principles that consumers, industry and government share responsibility for environmentally sound management of used oil materials and ensuring the viability of their used oil materials recycling programs.

In British Columbia: Interchange Recycling operates the Used Oil Materials Stewardship Program in accordance with the requirements of the provincial Post-Consumer Residual Stewardship Program Regulation from the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.

In Alberta: The Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) is delegated through the Designated Material Recycling and Management Regulation and manages the used oil recycling program (as well as several other programs). The regulation regulates lubricating oil and related products as part of Alberta’s recycling program and establishes the maximum surcharge amount that can adopted by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA).

In Saskatchewan: The provincial government, principally through Saskatchewan Environment (SE) regulates and monitors the SARRC Program under The Used Oil Collection Regulations enacted in June 1996.

In Manitoba: The provincial government, principally through Manitoba Sustainable Development, regulates and monitors the MARRC Program under the Used Oil, Oil Filter and Container Stewardship Regulation enacted in April 1997. Manitoba Sustainable Development maintains a registry of licensed return depots, EcoCentres, collectors and receivers of used oil materials.

In Quebec: SOGHU was incorporated in accordance with Part III of the Companies Act (Québec) to fulfil the requirements of the Regulation respecting used oil material recovery and reclamation. SOGHU is governed by the Regulation and by the Agreement with Recyc-Québec.

In New Brunswick: The activities of UOMA NB are governed by the Regulation and by the Stewardship Plan with Recycle NB and will be the object of detailed reports to its members and to Recycle NB and was officially implemented on January 1st, 2014.

In Nova Scotia: UOMA Atlantic (UOMA NS, division of Nova Scotia) was appointed as the official agent to manage the program of recovery and reclamation of products relating to this new Regulation on behalf of its members. The program came into effect on January 1st, 2020.

In Newfoundland & Labrador: UOMA Atlantic (UOMA NL, division of Newfoundland and Labrador) was appointed as the official agent to manage the program of recovery and reclamation of products relating to this Regulation on behalf of its members. The effective date of the program was October 1st, 2019.

In PEI: The activities of UOMA PE are governed by the Regulation and by the Stewardship Program Plan with the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action and will be the object of detailed reports to its members and to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action of Prince Edward Island and was implemented on April 1st, 2015.

There was a time when people didn’t think twice about simply throwing away or dumping oil products. Today, we are more aware that careless disposal methods not only harm the environment, but also waste a valuable non-renewable resource.

Each year, about 215 million litres of new oil are sold across western Canada. Yet slightly more than half of that oil is not consumed during use and is available to be recycled.

And it’s not just used oil that presents a hazard to the environment if it’s improperly discarded. After you pour the oil into your car, boat, lawn mower, tractor or other motors, there is residual oil in the plastic containers that can be recovered.

Used oil filters and plastic oil containers can also be recycled into other useful products. With a program and proper return facilities now in place, western Canadians can:

• Recover more used oil, filters, containers & antifreeze.
• Extend the life of a non-renewable natural resource.
• Provide the recycling industry with oil, plastic and steel.
• Decrease pollution caused by improper disposal. Reduce the amount of non-biodegradable materials in our landfills.