Used Oil Collection & Recycling for Sydney Workshops & Industry
Licensed collection of used engine oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid and industrial lubricants — re-refined into base oil instead of being landfilled, with drums and bulk tanks supplied for your site.
Licensed collection and re-refining of used engine and industrial oils
What Is Used Oil Collection & Recycling?
Used oil collection is a licensed service that removes spent engine oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and other industrial lubricants from workshops, fleets and manufacturing sites. Rather than being landfilled or tipped down a drain, collected oil is transported to a licensed facility, dewatered and filtered, then re-refined into base oil or processed as an alternative fuel — closing the loop instead of wasting a hazardous, reusable resource.
Clean Waste supplies drums, bulk tanks and a scheduled pick-up across Sydney, alongside your grease trap, cooking oil and general waste streams under one account — with a free site assessment to confirm the right container setup and collection frequency for your site.
Never Mix Used Oil With Other Chemicals
Used oil is a valuable, recyclable resource on its own — mixing it with other substances can make an entire batch unrecyclable.
Keep used oil separate from fuel, coolant and solvents
Even small amounts of fuel, antifreeze, brake fluid or solvent mixed into used oil can prevent it from being re-refined, forcing the whole drum to be treated as contaminated waste at extra cost. Store used oil in a dedicated, clearly labelled container and keep everything else out.
Used Oil Collection That Actually Gets Recycled
A drum only works if it's the right size, collected on schedule, and the oil inside is clean enough to re-refine.
From Workshop to Re-Refined Base Oil
Here's what happens to your used oil after collection.
Free Site Assessment
We review your oil volume and storage setup to recommend the right drum or tank configuration.
Container Delivery
Sealed drums or a bulk tank are delivered with clear labelling for used oil only.
Scheduled Collection
Full containers are collected on schedule and replaced with empty ones, or pumped out on site.
Dewatering & Filtering
Water and particulates are removed at a licensed facility, ahead of re-refining.
Re-Refining
Processed oil is re-refined into base oil or prepared as an alternative fuel, rather than landfilled.
Used Oils & Lubricants We Collect
Most automotive and industrial oils can be collected as a single used oil stream.
What Can & Can't Go in a Used Oil Container
Correct sorting keeps loads clean enough for the re-refiner to actually take them.
✅ Accepted
- Used engine, transmission and gear oil
- Used hydraulic fluid and industrial lubricants
- Used oil filters (collected as a related, separate item)
- Oil drained into the supplied sealed drum or tank only
❌ Not Accepted
- Fuel, petrol or diesel mixed into the oil
- Coolant, antifreeze or brake fluid mixed in
- Solvents, degreasers or parts-washer fluid
- Used cooking or food-grade oil (collected as its own stream)
- General waste, rags or absorbents mixed in
How Used Oil Becomes Base Oil Again
Understanding what happens after collection explains why keeping used oil uncontaminated matters so much.
- Testing: Incoming oil is tested for water, fuel and chemical contamination
- Dewatering: Water is separated out from the oil
- Filtration: Particulates and sediment are filtered out
- Vacuum distillation: Oil is distilled to separate base oil from lighter contaminants
- Re-refining: Base oil is finished and blended back into lubricant products, closing the loop
What Drives Your Used Oil Collection Cost
Clean, uncontaminated oil in consistent volumes is often collected free or at a low cost — contamination is what drives the price up.
Typical cost for a 20L–205L drum of clean used oil at small workshops.
Typical cost for a scheduled bulk tank pump-out at busier workshops or fleets.
Contaminated oil (mixed with fuel, coolant or solvents) is priced separately as hazardous waste.
Exact terms depend on volume, contamination level and collection frequency. Request a free, no-obligation site assessment and we'll confirm your exact cost.
Used Oil Collection for Every Workshop & Site
Any business generating engine, hydraulic or industrial oil benefits from a licensed, scheduled collection service.
Used Oil Collection Across Greater Sydney
Consistent, on-schedule collection wherever your workshop or site is located.
Used Oil Collection & Recycling FAQs
Straight answers to the questions Sydney workshops and industrial sites ask most before setting up a service.
What types of oil can be collected?
Used engine oil, transmission and gear oil, hydraulic fluid, and other industrial lubricants can all be collected as a single used oil stream. Used oil filters can be collected alongside it.
Can I mix fuel or coolant in with used oil?
No. Fuel, coolant, brake fluid and solvents must be kept separate. Mixing them into used oil can make the whole drum unrecyclable and it will instead be treated and priced as contaminated hazardous waste.
Is used cooking oil collected the same way?
No. Used cooking oil from commercial kitchens is collected as its own dedicated stream, since it's processed into biodiesel rather than re-refined base oil. See our Used Cooking Oil Collection service for that stream.
What happens to used oil after collection?
Collected oil is tested, dewatered and filtered at a licensed facility, then re-refined into base oil or processed as an alternative fuel, rather than being landfilled.
What size drum or tank do I need?
Small workshops typically use a 20L–205L drum, while busier workshops and fleet depots often need a bulk tank with scheduled pump-out. A free site assessment confirms the right setup for your volume.
How much does used oil collection cost?
Clean, uncontaminated oil is often collected free or at a low cost, typically free to $40 for a drum and $40–$120 for a scheduled bulk tank pump-out. Contaminated oil is quoted separately as hazardous waste. Contact us for a free, itemised quote.
Set Up Used Oil Collection Today
Free site assessment. Right-sized containers. Fully documented, every collection.