EWC Code
Oil wastes not otherwise specified
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume
320,000 tonnes/year EU miscellaneous oil waste
Valorisation Range
€75M miscellaneous oil waste collection market
Primary Route
Specialist oil recovery by type
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Get contacts for EWC 13 08This sub-chapter is a residual category for oil wastes not classified under 13 01 (hydraulic oils), 13 02 (engine and gear oils), 13 03 (insulating oils), 13 04 (bilge oils), 13 05 (separator contents) or 13 07 (liquid fuels). It captures quenching oils, rolling mill emulsions, drawing oils, wire rope lubricants, metalworking fluid concentrates and mixed oil waste streams from industrial operations.
Quenching oils used in metal heat treatment are particularly significant: used quench oil contains oxidation products, metal particles and water emulsified at elevated temperature. Quench oil service life is typically 2–5 years before viscosity increase, acidity and particle contamination necessitate complete replacement. Used quench oil with flash point >60°C is non-ignitable during normal handling but classified hazardous due to petroleum hydrocarbon content.
Rolling mill emulsions from steel and aluminium cold rolling contain mineral oil at 2–5% in water with emulsifiers, biocides and corrosion inhibitors. Rolling mill emulsion waste is generated when biocide resistance develops, tramp oil contamination rises or product quality requirements change. Emulsion volumes range from 100,000 to 500,000 litres per mill change, making disposal logistics complex.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 13 08, ranked by economic value and market depth. Specialist oil recovery by type is the primary route.
Quench oils with stable composition and low contamination are re-refined or reconditioned by vacuum distillation, filtration and inhibitor addition for reuse in heat treatment. Rolling mill emulsions are broken by acid dosing, oil phase recovered and sent to re-refinery, water phase treated biologically before discharge under trade effluent consent.
High-calorific oil wastes (>28 MJ/kg) not suitable for re-refining are accepted by cement kilns as alternative fuels after analysis for chlorine, sulphur, metals and calorific value. Rolling mill emulsions with <5% oil content are typically not suitable for cement kiln co-processing due to low calorific value; high-oil emulsion concentrates are acceptable.
Mixed or heavily contaminated oil wastes not meeting re-refinery or cement kiln acceptance criteria are incinerated in licensed hazardous waste incinerators with energy recovery. Full characterisation including PCB screening required before acceptance. Incineration certificate returned to waste producer as evidence of final disposal.
These are the established routes for EWC 13 08. 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 quench oil and metalworking fluid concentrates to recover base oil for lubricant blending
Manage rolling mill emulsion waste from steel cold rolling operations
Co-process high-calorific miscellaneous oil waste as alternative fuel
Incinerate mixed oil waste not suitable for re-refining or co-processing
Source: NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat, 2008
Key legislative frameworks governing EWC 13 08 classification, transport, and treatment.
All oil wastes in chapter 13 are subject to waste oil hierarchy under Article 21. Operators producing miscellaneous oil waste must ensure separate collection where technically and economically feasible. Mixing with solvents, PCB-containing oil or other hazardous waste that impedes re-refining is prohibited under Article 21(1)(b).
Mixed or uncharacterised oil waste is classified UN 3077 (Environmentally hazardous substance, liquid, NOS) or UN 3082 under ADR. Flash point testing required to assign Packing Group. Carrier must hold waste carrier registration; driver must hold ADR dangerous goods certificate.
Cement kilns accepting miscellaneous oil waste as alternative fuel require co-incineration installation permit under IED Annex VI. Waste analysis against cement kiln acceptance protocol (EN/TS 15359) required per batch. Continuous emissions monitoring for HCl, SO₂, NOₓ, CO and TOC mandatory for co-incineration operations.
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Sectors that valorise EWC 13 08 as an input material or secondary raw material.
Waste-stream pages and resources connected to EWC 13 08 valorisation.
Explore EU waste flows — Waste Atlas
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Source: EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC · NACE Rev.2 — Eurostat 2008
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