Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme
The Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme (PSO) was introduced by the Australian Government in 2001. The Scheme provides incentives to increase used oil recycling. This minimises harm to human health and the environment from improperly disposed oil.
What can you do to recycle oil?
Pour your used lubricating oil back into an empty oil container and take it to your local used oil facility. When you do this, you help to conserve a valuable resource and protect the environment.
Check your local council's website for information about your nearest used oil facility.
Why we should recycle used motor oil
Motor oil picks up hazardous by-products when used in cars. These by-products include lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, dioxins and benzene. Used motor oil that is disposed of inappropriately can get into the environment. This can harm humans, plants, animals, fish and shellfish.
In water, oil is a pollutant, floating as a scum on the surface. This oil scum can stop sunlight and oxygen from getting into the water. This affects fish and water plants. It can kill fish, frogs and other animals that breathe from the water's surface.
Used oil, burnt at low temperatures, can create hazardous particles. These particles can get into people's lungs and harm their health.
Used motor oil can be recycled
Oil doesn't wear out; it just gets dirty. Used oil can be cleaned, re-refined and used again and again.
Used motor oil can undergo various treatments to be recycled. It can be recycled as an industrial burner fuel, or re-refined back into new lubricating oil.