According to Bubele Nyiba, CEO of the ROSE Foundation, South Africa generates significant amounts of used oil, with an estimated 120 million litres of used oil available in the country to be collected and recycled each year. The foundation was established in 1994 to divert used oil from polluting the environment, whether it is water or soil because the properties of the oil become toxic and dangerous to humans and nature and must thus be collected and disposed of properly. In this interview with Jeanette Clark, Nyiba explains that the South African government published a formal notice requesting lubricant oil producers to implement additional measures as part of the sector’s extended producer responsibility (EPR). Nyiba sees the notice as positive legislation because it ensures that every oil producer follows the rules rather than relying on voluntary schemes. Nyiba adds that within six months of the law’s passage, all manufacturers of new motor lubricating oil must register with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, implying that everyone is held accountable. The ROSE Foundation ensures that there are licenced and compliant collectors going around to places like workshops, mines, factories, and depots, collecting oil in a responsible manner.
Nyiba emphasises that not only is it important to collect oil, but it must be done correctly. It is not possible for everyone to collect hazardous used oil because it requires training and permits from local municipalities. Collectors must have the proper vehicles, licences, and kits in the event of a spill, as well as know what first-aid steps to take if the oil comes into contact with their skin. The ROSE Foundation can assure everyone that used oil is not discarded and is not harming the environment. The foundation ensures accountability while producers take positive steps to clean up the environment.
According to Nyiba, the legislation means that no longer can any oil producer sit on the fence or become a free rider, as the law states. All new oil producers must either join the ROSE Foundation, form their own ROSE-like organisation, or implement ROSE-like activities for their own oil. Nyiba believes that everyone who can think of the major oil players in South Africa, including the big brands seen on the road, is a member of the ROSE Foundation and has been a founding member for approximately 29 years.
According to Nyiba, the ROSE Foundation was formed as a voluntary initiative by the industry’s major oil players to address the used oil issue, but not everyone was involved in the scheme. The legislation now makes it mandatory for everyone, and the foundation encourages people to ensure that oil is not discarded anywhere, including on the ground, in water streams, or drains, and that it is collected. People who are unsure what to do with their used oil can seek advice from the foundation.
According to Nyiba, one litre of used oil improperly disposed of can pollute a million litres of water. The properties of used oil deteriorate with use, becoming toxic and dangerous to humans and nature. As a result, the foundation exists to ensure that the oil is properly collected and disposed of. Nyiba emphasises the importance of protecting the environment, which is becoming increasingly polluted, as well as ensuring the future of children. If people do not care for the environment, there will be nothing left for future generations.
Finally, Nyiba emphasises that the South African government published a formal notice requesting lubricant oil producers to implement additional measures as part of extended producer responsibility, which is good news for the industry. Rather than relying on voluntary schemes, the legislation ensures that every oil producer is held accountable for their actions. The ROSE Foundation ensures that used oil is collected and disposed of properly.
