Group Shares Grant to Promote Oil Recycling

El Concilio del Condado de Ventura is one of 18 nonprofit groups that will share $2.5 million in grants from the California Integrated Waste Management Board--the state’s primary recycling agency--to collect used motor oil and educate people about the dangers of illegal dumping.

The group has been awarded $157,891 to conduct a bilingual program on recycling used oil in Ventura County. The program will include promoting permanent collection facilities, providing a mobile collection unit and promoting a public education campaign.

State officials said that 25 million gallons of used motor oil are illegally poured on the ground, into waterways or dumped in landfills each year. Just 1 gallon of used motor oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water, officials said.

“Education and ease of recycling is the key to reducing the amount of used motor oil that pollutes the environment each year,” said waste board Chairman Daniel G. Pennington. “As a result of this funding, these community-minded organizations will increase awareness about the dangers of not recycling used oil and, more importantly, make it easier for residents to conveniently recycle at no charge.”

Funding for the grant program comes from an assessment on oil sold in California. The program began in 1991 with the passage of the California Oil Recycling Enhancement Act.