In 2024, 6,355 tons of used oils were recovered in the Canary Islands from vehicle engines and industrial machinery through SIGAUS, the system in charge of managing this waste in Spain.
In Lanzarote, there were 757 tons, 16.4% more than last year.
With the used oil generated in the Canary Islands and regenerated, 3,634 tons of new lubricants were produced, enough to fill the crankcase of more than 897,000 cars. With what was achieved in Lanzarote, there are more than 100,000 cars, specifically 106,849.
In the Canary Islands as a whole, the collection was carried out in 2,990 establishments in multiple sectors located in 85 Canarian municipalities. Among them, mechanical workshops stood out, representing 54% of the total generating points.
The management of used oil allows the waste to be transformed into new valuable resources. After the pre-treatment phase, in which impurities such as water and sediments are removed, 5,805 net tons of used oil suitable for reuse were obtained.
Of this amount, 100% was destined for regeneration, the treatment through which valid lubricating bases are obtained for the formulation of new oils, in a process that closes the circularity of the product and that can be repeated indefinitely: with three liters of used oil, two liters of new lubricants can be obtained.
This use avoids a significant consumption of natural resources: if these regenerated bases had been obtained by refining petroleum, it would have been necessary to use 1.7 million barrels.
At the end of its useful life, industrial oil becomes a potentially polluting waste due to the presence of heavy metals and other toxic substances, which can negatively affect our environment and the health of people if it is not managed properly.
Due to its fundamental role in multiple applications, oil is present in all types of facilities and sectors, from automotive, to industry or agriculture, which means that, in addition, the resulting waste is generated in a very dispersed manner throughout the territory.
Although the largest volume is concentrated in areas with high population density and strong economic activity, the generation of used oil also extends to rural areas and areas far from large urban centers, which
requires a highly capillary logistics system.
The recovery of used oil in non-urban areas is especially important in the environment of protected natural spaces. In 2024, 672 tons were recovered in a total of 408 facilities located in enclaves such as the Biosphere Reserves of Fuerteventura, La Palma, Lanzarote or La Gomera, as well as in the natural parks of Pilancones or Los Volcanes, among others.