DEQ to collect used oil on Saturday

The Division of Environmental Quality will be holding a used oil collection event this Saturday at the Lower Base Transfer Station.

The one-day collection activity is organized by Tetra Tech, the consulting firm hired by Pacific Marine and Industrial Corp.

PMIC’s Supplemental Environmental Project aims to improve used oil management in the Commonwealth, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

According to DEQ, “The free dropoff is only open to residential, not commercial, used oil generators. The total used oil disposal volume cannot exceed 10 gallons.”

PMIC was busted by the EPA two years ago for committing waste violations. PMIC acknowledged the fault but asked EPA if they could instead offer to do supplemental projects.

According to Patrick Wooliever, Tetra Tech’s sustainability consultant based in San Francisco, a portion of PMIC’s penalty is to do something related to the fine they got.

“In PMIC’s case, used oil waste management. Instead of writing a check to the U.S. Treasury, they can do a project on island that would benefit the community and the environment here on Saipan,” Wooliever said.

The last used oil collection was held in January 2004. Approximately 3,000 gallons of used oil are stored in 55 drums and another 1,500 gallons of mixed fluids, including used oil, paint and other vehicle fluids are stored at the DPW transfer station.

The waste will be sent off island for recycling or energy recovery.

DEQ spokesperson Reina C. Camacho said, “Used motor oil, like other household hazardous waste, can harm the environment if it is not recycled or disposed of properly. If thrown in the trash or poured on the ground, used motor oil can seep into the groundwater we drink. If used motor oil is poured on the street, it will go down a storm drain and into the ocean.”

– Keep your used motor oil by pouring it into a clean empty plastic container with a tight lid.

-Make sure containers are leak proof. If they are not, place them in larger leak proof containers.

-Do not mix used oil with any other product.

– Keep all materials away from passengers during transport.

For more information about the used oil collection on June 21, contact Division of Environmental Quality at 664-8500.