Industrial Symbiosis
The reverse logistics of Used or Contaminated Lubricating Oil (OLUC) is a successful case study in the circular economy. Lwart Soluções Ambientais removes a hazardous waste product from circulation, which is dangerous to the environment and human health, and reintroduces it into the production chain through a re-refining process, recovering the base oil and sending it to the lubricant industry.
Intelligent recovery of used oil: from waste to product again.
Methodology
The rerefining process carried out by Lwart is divided into two stages. The first stage is responsible for the physical-chemical process of extracting contaminants present in used lubricating oil (ULC). The second stage consists of hydrotreatment. In this stage, four reactors with highly active catalysts, along with high temperature, pressure, and hydrogen, promote the complete removal of impurities, stability, and restructuring at the molecular level, which increases the quality of the base oil. After this stage, the oil is properly rerefined and has the necessary characteristics for classification as Group II by the API.
Physical-chemical process and hydrotreating: excellence in oil recovery.
Results
Lwart's rerefining process has a yield exceeding 75%. In 2024, the company reached the historic milestone of 225 million liters of used lubricating oil collected, representing 37% of the total volume collected in Brazil. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) indicated a carbon footprint of 1,091 kg CO2e/m³, 77% lower compared to first-refining base oil. In the same year, the company recorded a 6% reduction in scope 1 GHG emissions compared to 2023, in addition to reducing natural gas consumption, the main non-renewable fuel used in the process, by 50%. The re-refining process carried out by Lwart is divided into two stages: the first involves the physical-chemical process of extracting contaminants present in used lubricating oil (ULO), and the second consists of hydrotreatment, in which four reactors with highly active catalysts, high temperature, pressure, and hydrogen promote the complete removal of impurities, stability, and molecular restructuring, raising the quality of the base oil to Group II level according to API standards. Lwart Soluções Ambientais removes a hazardous waste product from circulation, endangering the environment and human health, and reintroduces it into the production chain through the re-refining process, recovering the base oil and sending it to the lubricant industry, thus establishing itself as a successful case study in the circular economy.
77% has less carbon than first-refining base oil.
Sustainability Report