Exol embarks on largest-ever recycling initiative

Exol Lubricants has embarked on its largest-ever recycling initiative as it becomes one of the first UK lubricants companies to recycle its plastic containers.

As part of the initiative, Exol’s 20 and 25-litre containers are being recycled and the reprocessed material incorporated into the production of new containers.

The scheme – in partnership with one of its plastics manufacturers – will be available to all customers and involves containers being collected from sites around the UK and taken to the recycling plant. There, they are emptied and any residual product that can be utilised is taken for reprocessing. For example, lubricating oil is turned into fuel oil.

The containers are then broken down, washed, dried, and compounded to produce high-quality recycled HDPE pellets. These are returned to the plastic manufacturer where they are combined with virgin plastic – in a ratio of 30:70 – for the production of new containers that offer the same strength, durability and high performance as containers made fully from virgin material. These containers can subsequently be collected and recycled again.

As a lubricants blender, Exol is incredibly environmentally aware, running an extremely efficient fleet of vehicles and making effective use of the waterways in Hull and Rotherham to transport raw materials to its bulk blending plant. Exol’s effective use of barge transport is helping the company reduce its carbon footprint.

Steve Dunn, Exol sales and marketing director, said: “This is a major initiative for Exol throughout 2020 and we are encouraging customers to participate. The lubricants industry is not exempt from playing its part in environmentally friendly initiatives and we are delighted to be taking an active role. Plastic is a valuable resource, so it makes absolute sense to collect and reuse it, which further enhances the sustainability profile of our containers.”

Exol’s blending plant in Rotherham and head office in Wednesbury, West Midlands are Certified to Environmental Management System ISO 14001: 2015.