Warning against burning waste oil

AS Christmas approaches and the weather turns colder, many garages may be tempted to recycle waste engine oil as fuel in their workshops. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned people that this is dangerous.
Waste oil is hazardous as it contains a large number of contaminants, some of which are known to be carcinogenic and it must be either recycled in EPA-licensed facilities or destroyed by burning at very high temperatures. The EPA is reminding garages in Clare that apart from harming human health, burning waste oils can also damage the environment.
The operation of used oil incinerators requires a licence from the EPA and it is an offence under the Waste Management Act to burn waste oil without a waste licence.
Jim Moriarty of the EPA said, “It may seem like an attractive idea to get rid of unwanted waste oil while providing heat for employees without having to buy conventional heating oil but it is a dangerous and illegal practice”.
He continued, “Waste oil should not be burned as fuel and must only be removed by a permitted waste collector and records must be kept of all movements”.
More information on what to do with waste oil in available in the Smart Garage Guide on the EPA website at www.epa.ie.