How do the Used Oil Associations operate?

Government-Approved Program – No government funds are used for Canada’s used oil materials recycling programs. The provincial associations (Interchange Recycling, Alberta Recycling Management Authority, SARRC, MARRC, SOGHU and UOMA Atlantic) generate their own revenue and manage their own funds and their own debts.

The programs reflect principles that consumers, industry and government share responsibility for environmentally sound management of used oil materials and ensuring the viability of their used oil materials recycling programs.

In British Columbia: Interchange Recycling operates the Used Oil Materials Stewardship Program in accordance with the requirements of the provincial Recycling Regulation under the Ministry of Environment.

In Alberta:  The Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) is delegated through the Designated Material Recycling and Management Regulation and manages the used oil recycling program (as well as several other programs). The regulation regulates lubricating oil and related products as part of Alberta’s recycling program and establishes the maximum surcharge amount that can adopted by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA).

In Saskatchewan: The provincial government, principally through Saskatchewan Environment (SE) regulates and monitors the SARRC Program under The Used Oil Collection Regulations enacted in June 1996.

In Manitoba: The provincial government, principally through Manitoba Conservation, regulates and monitors the MARRC Program under the Used Oil, Oil Filter and Container Stewardship Regulation enacted in April 1997. Manitoba Conservation maintains a registry of licensed return depots, EcoCentres, collectors and receivers of used oil materials.

In Quebec: SOGHU was incorporated in accordance with Part III of the Companies Act (Quebec) to fulfil the requirements of the Regulation respecting used oil material recovery and reclamation. SOGHU is governed by the Regulation and by the Agreement with Recyc-Quebec.

In New Brunswick: The activities of UOMA NB are governed by the Regulation and by the Stewardship Plan with Recycle NB and will be the object of detailed reports to its members and to Recycle NB and was officially implemented on January 1st, 2014.

In Nova Scotia: UOMA Atlantic (UOMA NS, division of Nova Scotia) was appointed as the official agent to manage the program of recovery and reclamation of products relating to this new Regulation on behalf of its members. The program came into effect on January 1st, 2020.

In Newfoundland & Labrador: UOMA Atlantic (UOMA NL, division of Newfoundland and Labrador) was appointed as the official agent to manage the program of recovery and reclamation of products relating to this Regulation on behalf of its members. The effective date of the program was October 1st, 2019.

In PEI: The activities of UOMA PE are governed by the Regulation and by the Stewardship Program Plan with the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action and will be the object of detailed reports to its members and to the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action of Prince Edward Island and was implemented on April 1st, 2015.