Engine oil recycling - the world's gone mad

[gridgway]

It's been a while since I took oil to the dump. So long that I think it used to be called the dump rather than a Community Recycling Centre.

Blokey at the gate asks me what I have and was interested in any rubble. But no, only engine oil says I. He says great, but only 5 per month. Annoying thinks I as I have a stash, but not too bad.

I get inside and park up. I'm on my second 5l can when another blokey comes over to say max is 5L and can I stop please. But, but, but says I. I've got 12 cans. That means I have to drive to the dump every month for a year dropping one can off each time. Sorry he says with a grin, complain to the council, they make the rules. Or get an electric car he says. WTF says I.

Off I trot rather than cause a fuss. I come home to ask the council direct. Look at the website, find the email address and send an email asking for clarification. Get an automated response saying you can't contact the council by email any more go on the website. That of course says email the council.

The world has gone mad. Haven't even started on the 60L of aged degreasing fluid from the parts washer

Any ideas? Might leave it in the verge in the countryside.

[Bootsy]

Recycling Centres are a law themselves.

I went recently to dump a few bits - my local site has a grumpy manager who always seems to make a beeline for me and pick me up on a rogue lightbulb amongst the non-recyclables I'm dumping (apparently light bulbs have a bin of their own)

Anyway, I had a car battery to dispose of.

They have these large flat containers with lids specifically for them. I've dumped a few before.

Off I trot with large heavy defunct battery from 993 to the bin. Only to be chased by an operative to tell me the bin is full - by that time I've taken the lid off, and am rearranging the badly placed batteries to make room for mine.

'No, no no - you can't do that, it's full'

'It's not' I reply, they're just badly placed, there's plenty of room for a few more'

'No, you can't do that' - I'm guessing purely for the sake of showing some authority.

Battery still in my boot

Getting rid of paint cans is fun - it's like disposing of Novichok only harder

[hot66]

you should see the flap our guys get into when i roll up in a pick up truck ... always assume commercial waste , so a quick flash of my exemption pass I applied for and I'm good to go

No issues with oil at my local place , I just take my sealed oil drain pan and empty all 10/11 litrs straight into their tank. Maybe try that next time and just tell them its only got 5 ltrs in

[rhd racer]

Local over excitement Graham. I put 20ltrs of oil and another 20 of coolant at our Household Waste Centre Bolger Christmas, and that was asking where they wanted the coolant. TBH, I suspect it is a commercial rule and they are trying to stop volumes of commercial waste being dumped without the appropriate fee….

For the reasons stated, they need to encourage people to drop stuff in the right place, not elsewhere

Bootsy - not sure why they would grump at you. Your battery is worth about £10 in scrap so they should be biting your arm off for it. I once got more for 3 batteries from the scrappy than I did a whole Boxster shell

[Hugo 356]

3 options:

• Point out that the job of local council is to prevent people pouring used engine oil down the drain

• Tell them you’re going to limit your council tax payment to the amount they haven’t spaffed up the wall on your behalf (this will result in rapid legal action but you’ll have a huge sum towards your defence)

• Vote for a different set of deranged crooks at the next local election

[RobFrost]

It's been a while since I took oil to the dump. So long that I think it used to be called the dump rather than a Community Recycling Centre.

Blokey at the gate asks me what I have and was interested in any rubble. But no, only engine oil says I. He says great, but only 5 per month. Annoying thinks I as I have a stash, but not too bad.

I get inside and park up. I'm on my second 5l can when another blokey comes over to say max is 5L and can I stop please. But, but, but says I. I've got 12 cans. That means I have to drive to the dump every month for a year dropping one can off each time. Sorry he says with a grin, complain to the council, they make the rules. Or get an electric car he says. WTF says I.

Off I trot rather than cause a fuss. I come home to ask the council direct. Look at the website, find the email address and send an email asking for clarification. Get an automated response saying you can't contact the council by email any more go on the website. That of course says email the council.

The world has gone mad. Haven't even started on the 60L of aged degreasing fluid from the parts washer

Any ideas? Might leave it in the verge in the countryside.

It makes good creosote for preserving the fence

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[RobFrost]

Also, your local garage may take it for a fee. They will have a hundred gallon drum of the stuff that gets collected every so often.

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[majordad]

Do other people not just pour it down the drain, or at the base of their compost heaps ?

[one-two]

Hi guys, it's the 21st century now and we are trying to look after the planet a bit more

[911hillclimber]

No fuss at my local dump.
I take about 3 gallons of dead oil there every March, just get asked my post code.
Take all manner of simple House stuff, no probs.
Saw a nice EKO guitar resting against a bench by the general waste. Asked if I could have it to restore, Yep, no probs, nice it's going to a good home.

Bit of work and it's a cracker!

[Ralph]

I too have a pick up truck so have to have a pass to get in. Sometimes they scrutinise my rubbish and sometimes they don't give a toss. No problem with any amount of engine oil - batteries I take to the scrappy as you get £5 - £10 for them.

In West Sussex you have to book online at least 24 hours in advance and get a half hour time slot but in Surrey you can just rock up.

[Jonny Hart]

I think a short film about 'the dump' would be good viewing. All the 'rules' and regional variations.

There is a big sign at ours saying 'Ask for assistance with heavy/bulky items'. So I did, only to be told they are not allowed to lift builder's bags due to health and safety reasons. What?

I have a van so they always take my details and the number plate on an iPad. Last time I asked why they have to keep re-entering all the details as they surely the number plate is on record. Bloke says they don't keep the information. Why are you typing it in then?

Ours sells compost. As my missus runs a flower farm, this is a business expense for her. If you want to see a full grown man squirm, try getting a receipt.

Then there's the 'treasured items'. At our place this is a wall with items cherry picked out of the bins which are then sold back to the general public but there are no prices - you have to ask. I saw a guy dumping an old multi track mixer there once which I thought my musically talented mate might find useful. I raced across and managed to grab it just before it touched the wall and turned into 'gold'. It felt a little bit like stealing.

As a kid I used to roam the local scrapyard every Saturday, Climbing three cars high to remove a set of dials or a side mirror. Different world.

[gridgway]

I'll call the council next week and see what they say. That's assuming I get to talk to an actual person!

I have a local Indy that I use and I'll ask them for advice to see if that leads to them offering to take it. I'm not super hopeful though!

I thought I'd leave a can out next to the recycling bins next week on the offchance they take it. No chance!

There's no way I can pour it down the drain!

Also I can't even cycle to the dump with a can every week. They only allow cars!

[911hillclimber]

Ah....
Scrap Yard hunting.
Endless hours of joy searching for bits for my hotrods in the 70/80's.
Wonderful.
Mind you, met Fang, the scrap yard dog to end all dogs in an old USA base yard in Norfolk once, that was a surprise to say the least.

[gridgway]

Spent time doing that for my first car a HB Viva. Had to get a bonnet when the original rusted off! My dad was always running old cars as that's what we could afford, so scrap yards were very happy territory for me in my childhood!