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Used oil being poured into a bottle

How to recycle used oil

Extra Life Oil

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The importance of recycling used oil

In Spain, nearly 150 million liters (40 million gallons) of used cooking oil are generated each year, around 72% is recovered in the hospitality industry, yet the figure barely reaches 5% in households.

Recycling used oil has many benefits: it allows for the production of renewable fuels and reduces the need to extract new raw materials, among others. Do you want to know how to recycle it correctly? Here are some tips and guidelines.

In the past, used oil was mainly used in households to make homemade soap. However, due to the time required and the difficulty involved in this practice, it's not as common as it used to be, so the oil is discarded more often. This, in addition to the fact that it's known that there are other uses that help make the most of this waste, highlights the importance of recycling it correctly.

Improving these figures and percentages is precisely the purpose of Spanish Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy, under which local governments must implement specific collection systems for usable waste by 2025 (including oil).

Why is recycling important?

Used oil being poured into a bottle

Used oil is a waste product that can cause significant damage to the environment if disposed of incorrectly (e.g., by flushing it down the sink or toilet). A single liter of oil can contaminate 1,000 liters of water, according to data from the Aquae Foundation. Also, when it is dumped into the sewage system, it causes major blockages in pipes and sewage treatment plants. This makes the treatment of this water slower and more costly and requires high energy consumption.

The amount spent on unclogging blockages due to oil and grease flushed down drains amounts to more than €90 million per year in Europe alone.

Therefore, in addition to the energy and economic savings it entails, recycling used oil is an example of circular economy. 

Used oil in a bottle and a funnel

There's a wide range of benefits that come with recycling this waste: 

  • Reduces pollution and waste: By giving it a second life, its uncontrolled dumping is minimized, including the amount of waste that reaches the environment.
  • It's used to develop renewable fuels that aid in decarbonizing transportation, whose main goal is to cut carbon emissions.
  • Promotes employment: The versatility of this waste enables it to be transformed into high-demand products such as renewable fuels, asphalt materials, or fertilizers, which translates into job creation. Implementing oil collection and recycling systems also means that workers are needed in areas such as collection, treatment, and transportation of this waste.

How to recycle used oil

Correctly recycling used oil is vital for extending its useful life. Therefore, following these steps is recommended to make the most of this waste's potential:
 
  • Store correctly: Pour used oil (also from canned products) into empty plastic bottles or other specific containers once it's cold. Make sure there are no leaks or spills, and if there are any, clean the container with paper towels.

  • Bring to collection site: Increasingly more towns have specific containers for collecting used oil. Alternatively, at waste facilities, some NGOs and waste management companies will usually take care of it. If you live in the Community of Madrid in Spain, Repsol has made its service station network available to users who wish to dispose of their used oil. It can be dropped off at around 150 stations that are part of the network. Additionally, for every liter of oil collected, users will get €0.30 added to their Waylet app balance.
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Uses for recycled oil

Nowadays, used oil can have a highly profitable useful life and can be used for different purposes. These include the production of renewable fuels, which help make the most of this resource.

Nonetheless, its versatility actually goes far beyond that. It can also be used to manufacture surfactants –the basis for many everyday products like detergent, cosmetic creams, paint, and varnishes– as well as candles, fertilizers, among others. Therefore, it's a waste product that retains its value beyond its first use.

A person pouring oil on a frying pan

Recycled oil as a raw material for renewable fuels

Using recycled oil to produce renewable fuels —mainly biodiesel— represents an opportunity to promote the circular economy and the decarbonization of transportation.

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel whose CO2, SO2, and CO emissions are lower compared to other fuels. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that CO2 emissions are 57% to 86% lower in comparison to fossil fuels. Moreover, they don't contain sulfur, which prevents this gas from being released into the atmosphere, and they are used in conventional diesel engines without requiring any modifications.

At Repsol, we've already begun construction of what will be Spain's first plant for advanced biofuels, which are made from organic raw materials like biomass and organic waste. It will be located in Cartagena, in the Spanish region of Murcia, and it aims to produce 250,000 tonnes of advanced biofuels per year such as biodiesel, biojet, bionaphtha, and biopropane. This will significantly contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in sectors that are particularly difficult to decarbonize such as shipping, aviation, and heavy industry. In fact, with respect to oil, Repsol will produce biofuels for Ryanair at this plant from used cooking oil and other waste from the food industry. In all, we'll produce a sustainable fuel that will power the airline's planes between 2025 and 2030.

Collaborative economy

The collaborative economy involves sharing goods or services in exchange for a previously agreed compensation, whether it's financial or of another nature.

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