Used oil is a resource
Oil doesn’t wear out in the way most people think. When engine oil or hydraulic oil comes out of a machine, it’s mostly dirty: full of soot, metal particles, water and broken-down additives. Remove those and what’s left can be put back to use. That’s what waste oil recycling is about.
BL Oils collects waste oil from businesses across all of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire and takes it to permitted facilities where it can be recovered. We’re a Doncaster-based, Environment Agency upper-tier waste carrier and dealer (CBDU69834), and every collection comes with the correct paperwork.
How oil recycling works
Across the UK oil recycling industry, collected oil generally goes one of two ways:
- Processed fuel oil. The oil is cleaned up by settling, filtering and removing water, then used as a fuel in industrial burners and kilns. This is the most common route for waste oil in the UK.
- Re-refining. The oil is distilled and treated to strip out contaminants and produce base oil again, which can be blended into new lubricants.
Which route your oil takes depends on the facility it goes to. BL Oils doesn’t run its own refinery: we’re the licensed link between your site and the permitted facilities that do this work.
We don’t collect cooking oil. For used cooking oil from kitchens and takeaways, please use a specialist cooking oil collector.
Tell us what you’ve got
Oil type, roughly how many litres, drums or IBCs, and your postcode, by phone, WhatsApp or the quote form.
Free quote & booking
We give you a free, no-obligation quote and agree a collection day that works for your site.
Collected with paperwork
We collect the oil, leave you the correct paperwork, and take it to a permitted facility.
Why used oil is worth recovering
Lubricating oil is made from crude oil, a finite resource. Each litre that’s recovered and used again, whether as base oil or as fuel, is a litre that doesn’t need to be newly produced, and a litre that isn’t at risk of ending up in a drain, a ditch or a river. For businesses, sending oil for recovery is also part of showing customers and inspectors that you handle waste responsibly.
Where can I recycle engine oil?
At home: most council household waste recycling centres have a container for used engine oil from DIY oil changes. Take it in a sealed container and check your council’s website first. See how to dispose of engine oil.
Businesses: recycling centres are for household waste, so businesses should use a registered waste carrier. We collect used engine oil from garages, workshops, fleets, farms and factories across all of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, so it can go on to be recycled.
Engine oil recycling for businesses
Garages, fleet depots, plant hire firms and farms produce a lot of used engine oil. Engine oil recycling starts with keeping waste engine oil clean and separate, then arranging collection by a licensed carrier. See our pages for garages and workshops, plant hire, farms and industrial sites.
Help your oil get recycled
- Keep oils separate where you can. Mixed loads are harder to recover.
- Don’t mix in other liquids such as water, antifreeze, brake fluid, solvents or fuel.
- Keep it covered so rainwater doesn’t get in.
- Drain used filters and keep them for collection too.
From your site to recovery
Here’s how oil recycling works with BL Oils. You tell us what oil you have and how much. We give you a free quote and agree a collection day. We collect the oil, leave the correct paperwork, and take it to a permitted facility, where it’s treated and recovered. You don’t need to do anything else beyond keeping your paperwork. See what happens to your waste oil after collection.
Why recycling car oil matters
A small amount of oil can pollute a large volume of water, and oil poured onto the ground can reach rivers and groundwater. Recycling car oil and other used oils keeps it out of the environment and puts it back to use.
Recycling and the waste hierarchy
UK waste law follows the waste hierarchy: prevent waste first, then re-use, then recycle, then other recovery, with disposal as the last resort. Re-refining oil back into base oil counts as recycling. Burning processed fuel oil for energy counts as recovery. Both keep oil out of landfill and out of the environment.
What can and can’t be recycled
Most used lubricating oils can be recovered, including engine, gearbox, hydraulic, compressor and industrial oils. What causes problems is contamination. Oil mixed with solvents, antifreeze, brake fluid, fuel or lots of water is harder to treat. Cooking oil is a different material and goes through a separate recycling route, which is why we don’t collect it.
Specialist oils: for transformer oil and wind turbine oil, we work alongside a specialist partner in the sector.
Oil from home? We collect from businesses, so householders recycling car oil from a DIY oil change should take it to their local council household waste recycling centre. See our guide on how to dispose of engine oil. Businesses should use a licensed waste carrier. Read more about waste oil disposal rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can engine oil be recycled?
Yes. Used engine oil can be processed into a fuel oil or re-refined back into base oil. Getting it collected by a registered carrier is the first step.
Do you recycle the oil yourselves?
No. BL Oils is a licensed collector. We take your oil to permitted facilities where it’s treated and recovered.
Where can I find engine oil recycling near me?
If you’re a business in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire or Lincolnshire, we can collect from your site. Call or WhatsApp 07785 921493 for a free quote. Householders can usually use their council’s household recycling centre.
Is re-refined oil any good?
Re-refining removes contaminants to produce base oil again, which can be blended into new lubricants. It’s an established process in the oil industry.
What can stop oil being recycled?
Contamination. Mixing oil with water, antifreeze, solvents, fuel or other chemicals makes it harder to recover, so keep waste oil separate and covered.
Where can I recycle engine oil near me?
Householders can usually take used engine oil to a council household waste recycling centre. Businesses should use a registered waste carrier. We collect from businesses across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
Can car oil be recycled?
Yes. Used car and engine oil can be recycled once it’s collected by a registered carrier and taken to a permitted site.
BL Oils is based in Doncaster and collects across all of Yorkshire, plus Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire (areas we cover). Call or WhatsApp 07785 921493, or ask for a free quote.