"How can they possibly stop you working on your car on your own property?"
Jason, I thought that the free world got rid of Hitler and his Nazi cronies in the 1940's, but to my disbelief, the just moved to Logan City( just to the south of Brisbane) where they managed to get voted onto the council. You are legally only allowed to lift the bonnet of your car and check your oil and water. That is it. There are $600 fines under the Environmental Protection Act and Fines up to $124875 if a development offence is committed under the Integrated Planning Act. In saying that, I have never heard of anyone getting fined as yet. I don't think the council would have the balls to do it. It would stir up a massive hornets nest of protest from the locals. I will continue to work on my car, on my own property, and the council can bite my butt!! If they ever try to fine me, they will find someone that is prepared to take them on, as far as the court system will go.(Just incase you noticed, I do start to get really pissed off when I talk about this subject )Moronic Council!!
Every time you buy oil you pay 5cents a litre levy to encourage recycling. This only applies to oil sold in plastic containers around the 5 litre size. Councils can then apply to the Commonwealth Govt. for funding to recycle oil. The Govt. will only fund projects aimed at the home DIY. So Councils will accept oil in plastic bottles and there are volume limits. Many Councils have a big drain bin and a separate bin for the plastic.
Commercial mechanic places still have to pay to get it carted away. They don't want you oil as it cost them money. Cheapest cost they can get is 14 cents a litre. It used to be free and before that they got paid. But now that the oil recyclers get the oil free from large bins at Council transfer stations, there is no money in going to every little mechanic and pumping out their little 205 litre drum.
The amount of oil being recovered is staggering. Before the scheme oil was poured down the stormwater drain, used to contaminate land, keep the dust down in carparks, holes down the beach, poured in the sea as tide went out etc etc.
Best thing is to pour it back in the plastic container you got it in and run it down to the local council and dispose of it for free.
For business the cost of getting rid of oil is still rising. Third party collectors like CleanAway charge for freight as well as a per litre charge. They then sell it to the recycler. In South Australia only Mulhearns actually recycle the oil - they have the cheapest rate.
The last time I was in a Super Cheap Auto shop, I noticed there was empty 4 litre oil type bottles on the shelf. If you read the info on these bottles it tells you that they will take used oil as well!!
Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 06:01 pm, by: peter lang
peter I'm not sure about other places but every work shop I've worked for (4)never paid for the oil to be collected, a couple of times they have said they would start charging but when told "dont worry about coming back "they change their tune .there are at least 2-3 companys here in newcastle that compete thou.
Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 06:21 pm, by: Ian Johnston
In my area waste oil is like gold-everyone wants it. A local aboutors collects ours from work to use in the boilers. We have an underground tank and they pump out of that. When a truck holds 40 litres in its sump, it doesnt take long to add up. (300 trucks in our fleet).