MARIGOT–Guadeloupe-based Agence de L’Environment et de la Maitrise de L’Energie (ADEME), a public entity establishing policy in matters of environment, energy, and sustainable development, announced a renewed campaign to improve the amount of used oils collected in Guadeloupe and St. Martin.
The oils concerned are of those used for cars, boats, planes and in industrial machinery. The campaign, accompanied by widespread publicity on radio, television, and in newspapers, began March 29, 2016, and will last for three months.
It was noted used oils are not biodegradable and a danger to the environment. However, they can be recycled by removing the polluting elements to make a new pure oil. The other recycling method is to use it for incineration at high temperature in the production of cement.
It was announced at the press conference Monday that Guadeloupe produces around 1,625 tons of used oil per year but only 72 per cent of it is collected and transported back to France for recycling, whereas 100 per cent of used oil produced in France is recycled.
St. Martin has already been collecting used oils for about a year.
Managing Director Patrick Villemin of Verde SXM which manages the eco-landfill in Grand Case, disclosed from 2015 until now about 130 tons of used oil on the French side has been collected and a container is in the process of being filled to send to France.
“Garages and businesses don’t have to pay to have the oil collected but ADEME pays us for the collection and shipping to France,” he explained.
Although there is a company on the Dutch side collecting used oil, any joint cooperation in this regard is unlikely for the time being, and collection on the Dutch side under a French administration would not work anyway, Villemin added.
“The Dutch side view is that management of waste should not cost anything which is impossible so it has been difficult to discuss this topic with them.”
Currently there are some 40 garages or related businesses on the French side that have their used oils collected every month by José Duzanson through his company JPS.
A website
www.jerecyclemeshuiles.com gives advice on how to store used oils and how not to dispose of them.
Source: The Daily Herald ADEME launches an awareness campaign for used oil collection
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