Ontario waste oil heater ban now official

The June 29 version of the Environmental Registry confirmed Ontario Regulation 280/07, a law that prevents companies from burning waste oil for heat as of June 1, 2009.
Truck News has been covering this story in recent months and the coverage has sparked much criticism of the provincial government. This initiative appears to be politically-motivated and the province has provided no scientific evidence that the use of waste oil heaters has a negative impact on the environment.
In fact, in many jurisdictions, waste oil heaters are encouraged as an environmentally responsible use of waste oil. Nonetheless, the province has gone ahead with this nonsensical law, with little regard to concerns voiced by industry.
Consider this, during a comment period, the ministry received a total of 560 comments; 117 in support; 441 not in support; and two neutral. Overwhelmingly, those who contacted the ministry were opposed to the ban.
Here are some of the common themes addressed during the public comment period:
 The proposed regulation does not have any data (e.g., exceeding allowable emissions from space heaters, evidence of detrimental effects to the environment) or any other scientific information to support the government’s decision to ban the burning of used oil in space heaters. The government has not studied the issue in enough detail to make this decision.
 The proposed ban does not include northern Ontario. If there is a risk to human health from the burning of used oil, the ban should extend to the entire province.
 The overall emissions from the collection of used oil across the province, including the re-refining of oil, would far exceed that of the emissions from used oil space heaters. Spills are more likely to occur and damage the environment.
 Used oil pick-up cost will increase if the proposal is put in place and may be illegally dumped to avoid the charges.
 There will be a loss of revenue to small business owners since their heating cost will increase significantly. Also, a significant investment has been made to purchase and install the used oil space heating equipment. Businesses will close due to the incremental operating cost associated with heating a facility.
 The ministry did not actively go out and consult with manufacturers, distributors and owners of space heater before announcing the draft regulation to the public.
 Burning used oil in space heaters can burn as clean as and more efficient than some household oil burning furnaces. Replacement fuel will be less environmentally friendly as the total CO2 emissions associated with its production and transportation will be higher than that of burning used oil in space heaters:
a. Natural gas is not readily available
b. Wood is extremely inefficient.
Despite all these valid arguments, the ministry has gone ahead with the ban. Something to think about with a provincial election looming.

Avatar photo

James Menzies is editor of Today's Trucking. He has been covering the Canadian trucking industry for more than 20 years and holds a CDL. Reach him at james@newcom.ca or follow him on Twitter at @JamesMenzies.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • Well, Let’s see…
    1. Lost revenue. The government would collect a good amount of tax on any energy used for heating. But, the government can’t collect tax on used oil that is being burnt.
    2. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax on the fuel used to transport the fuel.
    3. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax on the wages being paid to the driver that collect the fuel.
    4. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax one the sell of additional tankers that would have been needed to haul these oil to Safety Kleen.
    Need I go on? They only reason is that they missed out on the 101 taxes they would have been able to collect.

  • You can bet the countries that have taken half our jobs, heat with a lot less efficient and clean burners. We may have no jobs left but damn will be breathing wonderfully clean air. Yet another brilliant feel good policy with no scientific data supporting it. Courtesy of your warm and fuzzy Liberals.

  • The Liberal govt. has a wonderful “Fact sheet” on one of their websites touting how much co2 and heavy metals they’re saving us and the world from.
    Here’s my fact sheet…
    Fact- All these used oil furnaces also burn furnace oil. What do you think these these business are going to heat with after investing 5k or more in for a furnace. Oh maybe they’ll fork out 20 or forty thousand for solar and a nice big wind turbine on their roof.
    Fact- it will be furnace oil.
    Fact- The government says it will remove about 40 tons of co2 emissions per unit.
    Fact- New oil produces more co2 emissions than used oil as a portion of the co2 has already been spent in the combustion process.
    Fact- the government says by removing these units they will cut the output of heavy metals and other nasty stuff.
    Fact- These used oil furnaces are already regulated and their emissions fall waaaay below the governmentally regulated guidelines by a hefty margin.
    Fact- Normally you need an environmental assessment to pee on your lawn.
    Fact- No assessment was made and despite numerous attempts by various investigators in to how the Liberals came to their conclusions no statement has been forthcoming.
    Fact- It may well end up being more environmentally hazardous in the long rung. Transporting millions of gallons to Toronto (one of the few plants that process used oil.) The possibility of spillage, the energy and chemicals to process etc, etc. Incidentally the announcement was made at this newly expanding plant.
    Fact- The McGuinty government has probably just made your environment that much worse and screwed thousands upon thousands of small and large businessess across the province… but probably added a few jobs to the Toronto area.
    Fact-

  • I’m currently heated by electric heat. costing me nearly 4,000.00 a year.. The government makes their fare share of that in taxes paid from me and the Electric company, shipping charges for Electricity, Yah OK, not to mention the 4% I have to pay to lower the electrical bills deficit.. OK now I’m paying for someone else’s short falls… When A line goes down I’m without hydro sometimes for days, and that mean NO HEAT during the coldest time of the year. If I was allowed to use a used oil burner I could heat my home for FREE, and since the oil has already been taxed and paid for wouldn’t that be a great trade off… Further what is done with used OIL that has to be discarded afterwards, the shop has to pay to get rid of it. Kleen-Flo makes money for doing so and what do they do with it? Well they sell it to the Hospitals that have large boilers that run off of Used OIL… Yes people these hospitals are equipped with GIANT used OIL BURNERS that Boil water and heat the entire facility with you heard it right USED OIL.. that we are not allowed to use… Go figure…… I would propose to you that it’s OK to burn fossil fuels and create emissions from our cars, trucks, Boats, Trains and airplanes… The very same vehicles that our politicians use every single day.. And I’d like to say that in other countries they still use COAL to heat their homes with absolutely NO emissions testing or filters and air cleaners,, Other countries, still use Used OIL burners.. and why should we be the ones to pay for this new “change to our environment”? though I’m not opposed to the idea and strongly agree that we need to do everything passable to preserve our environment, BUT I ask you why should we be the only ones… and why us first? while the rest of the world is ignorant to it, Case in point, Asia… where pollutants are at the highest in all of the world…. Also if we can burn furnace oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, carosen and so many other fuels then why can’t we burn used oil.. Let me point you back to a previous post which states; Well, Let’s see… 1. Lost revenue. The government would collect a good amount of tax on any energy used for heating. But, the government can’t collect tax on used oil that is being burnt. 2. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax on the fuel used to transport the fuel. 3. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax on the wages being paid to the driver that collect the fuel. 4. Lost revenue. The government can’t collect tax one the sell of additional tankers that would have been needed to haul these oil to Safety Kleen. Need I go on? They only reason is that they missed out on the 101 taxes they would have been able to collect. Yes people they can’t make their money from us and stay in power… How would they line their pockets if we were all self sufficient? I know or of a person who put up a wind tower on his property and the government stepped in and taxed the hell out of him for doing it… Explain that? They had to make their money off of it right? then another friend of mine wanted to build a wind tower on his property and was told NOPE! it will harm the migrating geese in the area.. Yah OK and the ones at the Huron sites here in Ontario that stand several hundred feet tall and line the coast for miles don’t right? C’mon guys, get your heads out of your butts. If it’s OK for the governments then why can’t it be OK for us… There’s a guy running around in the US and he has invented a perpetual engine which regenerates more then enough energy to power and entire small town or village and it gets started by a 9 Volt Battery and once it’s running it will run forever without demand for energy to run and will generate and lifetime of FREE energy. BUT the Government won’t let him patent it and tricks his displays in order to make him look like a fool in the public eyes… I begged him to publish his findings and his technology to the world for free so that we could all have it, because if he took the secret to his grave then they would win and we’d still be paying for the rest of our lives… It may sound silly but I ask you, where is Robin Hood today.. Yes I say that in the days of kings and queens clearly the ignorance and gluttony was obvious and I ask you why so may people today do not stand up for what they believe, this is clearly not just about USED OIL!!!! have you seen the commercial where everyone is yawning, and the you hear “WAKE UP PEOPLE!” Have a great day,,, Think about it!
    Do you know that all a government official has to do to get a raise in pay is submit a bill allowing himself a raise and then he passes it, it’s that simple…done he just gave himself a raise in pay.. at our expense.. they serve a four year tem and then we get to pay his wages for the rest of his life????? Hellooo? Anybody listening here? Clearly this is not just about free oil….. it’s a whole lot more……

  • I see our government will do anything to take our hard earned money away.
    It is a moral crime and they should be stopped . It’s a money game and they aren’t getting it.