EWC Code
Readily biodegradable hydraulic oils
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume (EU)
800,000 tonnes/year EU waste hydraulic oil
Valorisation Range
€320M waste hydraulic oil re-refining market
Primary Route
Re-refining to base oil
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Get contacts for EWC 13 01 12EWC 13 01 12 is a specific sub-code under EWC 13 01 — Waste hydraulic oils. The classification guidance below applies to this waste stream.
Waste hydraulic oils arise from scheduled oil changes, system overhauls and contamination events across industrial and mobile equipment. EU hydraulic oil consumption is approximately 1.2 million tonnes/year, with waste generation reflecting the 2–4 year service life of typical mineral oil-based fluids. Hydraulic oils include mineral oil types, synthetic esters (fire-resistant), polyglycol types and water-glycol emulsions with very different waste management routes.
Most hydraulic oils are classified hazardous at 6-digit level (13 01 09*, 13 01 10*, 13 01 11*, 13 01 12*, 13 01 13*) due to petroleum hydrocarbon content and additives including zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP), amine antioxidants and chlorinated extreme-pressure additives in older formulations. Contamination with water, metal particles, varnish and degraded additive packages determines whether regeneration or energy recovery is the appropriate disposal route.
EU Waste Oil Directive (incorporated into WFD Article 21) establishes the waste oil hierarchy: regeneration (re-refining to base oil) preferred over combustion with energy recovery, preferred over disposal. Member states must report regeneration rates annually. Re-refining by vacuum distillation and hydrotreatment produces base oil meeting Group I or Group II specifications, displacing virgin mineral oil production.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 13 01 12, ranked by economic value and market depth.
Waste hydraulic oil collected through licensed waste oil collectors is consolidated at re-refinery feedstock facilities. Vacuum distillation removes water and light fractions; hydrotreatment removes sulphur and nitrogen compounds; clay treatment or hydrotreating produces base oil meeting EN 228 or equivalent specifications. Re-refined base oil commands 85–95% of virgin base oil price.
Waste hydraulic oil not suitable for re-refining (polyglycol, water-glycol types or heavily contaminated mineral oil) is blended into derived liquid fuel (DLF) for co-processing in cement kilns under IED installation permits. Cement kiln co-processing achieves >99.99% destruction efficiency for organic compounds with energy and mineral recovery.
Small volumes of heavily contaminated or mixed waste hydraulic oil not accepted by re-refineries or cement kilns are incinerated in permitted hazardous waste incinerators. Energy recovery required; direct disposal to landfill is prohibited for liquid waste under Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC Article 5(3).
These are the established routes for EWC 13 01 12. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Re-refine collected waste hydraulic oil to Group I/II base oil for lubricant blending
Co-process waste hydraulic oil as alternative fuel in cement kiln with energy and mineral recovery
Collect, transport and consolidate waste hydraulic oil from generators for re-refinery supply
Manage hydraulic oil change waste from internal test and maintenance operations
Sectors that valorise EWC 13 01 12 as an input material or secondary raw material.
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