How to dispose of waste oil

Waste oil is hazardous waste. You cannot pour it down the drain, tip it on the ground, or put it in a normal bin. A single litre of oil can spoil a huge amount of water, so the rules are strict and the fines are real. Here is how to get rid of it the right way.

Is waste oil hazardous?

Yes, almost always. Engine oil, gear oil, lubricating oil and hydraulic oil are all hazardous, mineral-based or synthetic. They are listed in chapter 13 of the waste list, and their codes carry a star, the mark of a hazardous waste. So waste oil needs handling as hazardous from the moment it leaves the machine.

Getting rid of waste oil at home

If it is your own engine oil from a job on your own car at home, take it to your local household recycling centre. Most have a tank for waste oil and take it free. Keep it separate, do not mix it with anything else, and carry it in a sealed container. That is the home route. The rest of this guide is for waste oil from a business, where the rules are different.

Getting rid of waste oil from a business

If the oil comes from a business, a garage, a workshop, a farm or a plant, it is hazardous business waste, and there is a set way to deal with it:

1. Store it safely. Keep it in a sealed, labelled container or a bunded tank, away from drains and surface water, until it is collected.
2. Find the right EWC code for it, which we cover next.
3. Use a registered upper tier waste carrier, and never hand it over without checking first.
4. Make sure a consignment note travels with every collection.
5. Keep your copy of the note for at least three years.

The EWC code for waste oil

Waste oil codes sit in chapter 13 of the waste list. The common ones for engine, gear and lubricating oils are all hazardous:

• 13 02 05*, mineral-based non-chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils.
• 13 02 06*, synthetic engine, gear and lubricating oils.
• 13 02 08*, other engine, gear and lubricating oils.
• 13 05 07*, oily water from oil and water separators, for interceptor work.

If you are not sure which one fits, our guide on EWC codes walks through how to find the right one.

Who can take waste oil away?

A registered upper tier waste carrier collects it and takes it to a permitted site, usually an oil recycler that cleans it for re-use or turns it into fuel. Do not give it to an unregistered carrier. If they fly-tip it, the business that produced the oil is still liable, because the duty of care follows the waste, not the van.

A great example of a company that does full cycle oil regeneration from your waste would be Midland Oil. Reaching out to reputable companies such as this should keep you well within your legal duties.

The consignment note step

Every business waste oil collection needs a hazardous waste consignment note. It travels with the load and records what the oil is, who moved it, and where it ended up. Our guide on how to fill out a consignment note walks through each box.

Collecting waste oil or oily water round after round? Our consignment note software for tanker operators is built for liquid waste, with the note made and signed on site for every load.

This is one of our guides on how to dispose of hazardous waste.