The bank has a capacity to hold more than 150 gallons of oil and is said to have a life span of 20 years and is aimed at DIY mechanics in particular.
Currently, says the Environment Agency, only a third of the 17,000 tonnes of waste engine oil produced by DIY mechanics is recycled.
The Agency is seeking to reduce the amount of oil disposed of down drains. A spokesman said: “As most drains connect directly into river systems these thoughtless actions can result in devastated wildlife, habitats and contaminated drinking water. The oil from just one oil change is enough to smother a four acre lake.”
Waste oil from the Bromsgrove bank is collected by the OSS Group and taken to its refinery in Barracks Lane, Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire. The bank is expected to be emptied every three months and the oil, when refined, is used in industry such as for power stations and steelworks. A small proportion is re-used as car engine oil.
The council incurs a charge of 25 each time the bank is emptied and regardless of how much it contain
More information about oil recycling is available from the oilbankline.
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