Fed: Govt offers councils grants to house oil

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2001
Fed: Govt offers councils grants to house oil

CANBERRA, Dec 18 AAP - Regional local councils could receive about $20,000 each to
build tanks to house waste oil under an offer from the federal government.

Environment Minister David Kemp is writing to regional and remote councils to apply
for federal funding to encourage them to recycle waste oil.

Under the Local Government Waste Oil Facility Grants program, about $9 million is available
to build waste oil collection facilities in country areas.

"Each year 100 million litres of oil goes missing - much of it stored in small quantities
in remote parts of Australia with little access to recycling facilities," Dr Kemp said
in a statement.

"This waste oil can do considerable environmental damage if it's not properly collected
and recycled or reused."

The grants would enable rural councils to set up safe and accessible drop-off points
for waste oil, he said.

AAP lm/daw/cjh

KEYWORD: OIL

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