ATIEL & UEIL Joint Sustainability Committee 12 EU Member StateData


12.1 Waste Oil Management Waste oils are considered hazardous due to their environmental and health risks. The EU Waste Framework Directive requires Member States to ensure the separate collection of waste oils to avoid contamination with other waste streams. Collection rates vary, influenced by industrial activity and proximity to recycling facilities. Some countries, like Portugal, Belgiumand Italy, have Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, while others like Germany and Austria have high collection rates without them.


About 61% of collected waste oils are regenerated into base oils, 24% treated for fuel, 11% used for energy recovery in industrial plants, and the rest incinerated. In 2019, the EU had 27 regeneration plants with a capacity to treat 1.5 million tonnes of waste oil. Approximately 0.95 million tonnes were treated, resulting in 0.68 million tonnes of regenerated base oil, which covers only 8% of EU base oil demand.31


While estimates of available waste oil vary, improvements in both collection rates and oil regeneration are needed, recognizing that waste oil management varies across Member States.


Figure 4: Waste oil management in EU27 Member States32 31


REPORT: Circularity of mineral and synthetic lubrication and industrial waste oil management in the EU,


https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023DC0670 32


Study to analyse lubricant and industrial oil EPR systems and waste oil collection schemes in EU


Member States to support measures to increase collection rates. European Commission (2023). https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/948514


Version 11.06.2025 © ATIEL and UEIL Lubricants & Greases End of Life, Sustainable Best Practices Page 36 of 42


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