Brazil advances lubricant recycling and enforcement against illegal oil trade

Brazil is seeing significant developments in the management and regulation of lubricant waste. The Descarte Consciente program, managed by Abrafiltros, has reached a milestone by collecting over 57 million lubricant oil filters. This reverse logistics initiative aims to prevent hazardous materials from automotive and industrial components from being improperly discarded, ensuring metals are reintegrated into the production chain and oils are treated according to environmental standards.

In a separate effort to combat illegal markets, joint operations by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) and the Consumer Police (Decon) seized 526,000 liters of irregular lubricants throughout 2026. Nearly half of this volume (247,500 liters) consisted of used or contaminated lubricant oil (OLUC) collected clandestinely, with a significant concentration in the state of Goiás.

The Instituto Combustível Legal (ICL) supported approximately half of these seizures, partnering with Lwart for reprocessing non-compliant oil and the Instituto Jogue Limpo for packaging recycling. The enforcement of these regulations is bolstered by the recent enactment of Law No. 15,517, which increases penalties for the theft, smuggling, and illicit receipt of petroleum derivatives and lubricants.