While sales of glycol (antifreeze) fluid have been stable over the last few years, as confirmed by the Environmental Handling Charges (EHC) remitted by our Members, collection rates continue to be lower than expected for all of the Used Oil Management associations that have this designated product to manage per their provincial (British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New-Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) regulation. The low collection rates may be a result of assumptions made about the amount of glycol available for collection and re-use. The current amount available for collection is currently near 45% of the amount sold for all Associations. This available for collection rate was determined by a national study conducted before the different provincial regulations came out and, as such, this national study did not consider many field factors that the associations are now aware of after several years of operation.

The main question remains: where is the used glycol (antifreeze) going?

Consequently, UOMA Canada has developed a methodology with a firm specializing in environmental studies in order to establish an updated available for collection rate.

The methodology will determine the amount available for collection for 3 sectors:

  1. Automotive Sector: passenger cars, and light trucks class 1 and 2;
  2. Road Transportation Sector: freight trucks and buses;
  3. Other Sectors: Off-road machinery used in agriculture, forestry, construction, public services, mining, oil and gas (tractors, loaders, excavators, bulldozers, forklift).

The study will quantify the amount that cannot be recovered, then subtract this amount from the total amount sold to determine how much glycol (antifreeze) can be recovered.

The study will also be supported by a concurrent investigation led by MARRC (Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery Corp.) to identify the usage of glycol (antifreeze) purchased at the retail level. Please see the following link for a summary of the retail level study.

Both studies should be completed in early 2019.