Maui Used Motor Oil Program Temporarily Suspended

Motor oil check. Maui Now image.

The County of Maui announced that its Used Motor Oil Program for home mechanics has been suspended immediately, due to increased costs and a lack of available funding.

The program suspension is expected to be temporary; however, in the meantime anyone doing mechanic work at home is asked to store their used motor oil.

“The UMO program had been managed using a state fund but those funds are no longer available,” said Michael Miyamoto, Deputy Director of the Department of Environmental Management. “DEM has requested from the Council a supplemental budget increase to manage this very worthwhile program through the end of this fiscal year, June 30, 2017. We are confident that we will receive the funds but until then, we ask that residents store their used motor oil safely.”

Maui County estimates that residents changing their own motor oil turn in about 21,000 gallons of used motor oil annually to the UMO Program. The UMO Program is the county’s most environmentally important recycling initiatives as one gallon of used motor oil can contaminate millions of gallons of water.

Recycling Section staff estimate that residents might have to store their used motor oil until the end of May. For general recycling information go to the County of Maui website at www.mauicounty.gov/recycle, email [email protected], or call the Recycle Maui County hotline at (808) 270-7880.