Johannesburg — Used motor lubricant is dirty, hazardous stuff. A single litre of it can contaminate up to one million litres of drinking water. Yet the collection and responsible disposal of used oil in South Africa has quietly grown into a serious industry — and at the forefront of it are passionate entrepreneurs and technically skilled operators who have made protecting the country's environment their business.
South Africa generates an estimated 180 million litres of used oil every year from vehicles, industrial machinery, generators and manufacturing processes. For most of its history, a large proportion of this oil was disposed of in ways that are now illegal — dumped on open ground, poured into waterways, burned or left in leaking containers. The consequences for soil, groundwater and downstream communities were severe.
The legislative framework that changed this began taking shape in the early 2000s, culminating in the National Environmental Management: Waste Act of 2008. For the first time, South Africa had a comprehensive legal framework that placed clear responsibility on the generators of used oil — not just the collectors — for its safe disposal.
The used oil collection industry is a mix of large national operators and smaller, locally focused companies that serve specific regions or sectors. What they share is a commitment to operating within the legal and environmental framework — obtaining the necessary permits, maintaining proper vehicles and storage infrastructure, and issuing the documentation that generators need to demonstrate compliance.
Auto Blue Oils, based in Westonaria in the West Rand of Gauteng, is one of the companies at the leading edge of this sector. Founded in 2009 by Moses Mokgosi, the company collects used oil from automotive workshops, industrial operators, fleet managers and small generators across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The journey of used oil after collection is where the environmental story really becomes compelling. Rather than being destroyed or sent to landfill, used oil collected by responsible operators is processed and transformed. The most common end product is industrial burner fuel — a heavy fuel oil used in manufacturing, mining and other industrial processes that require high-temperature combustion.
In some cases, used oil can be re-refined back into base oil — essentially returning it to a quality suitable for reuse as a lubricant. This process requires more sophisticated processing but achieves the highest level of resource recovery from used oil. Re-refined oil uses approximately 85% less energy to produce than virgin base oil refined from crude petroleum.
"We are not just waste collectors. We are part of a circular economy that takes something hazardous and turns it into something useful. That's what keeps me going." — Moses Mokgosi, Auto Blue Oils
The ROSE Foundation — Recycling Oil Saves the Environment — has been instrumental in shaping the used oil industry in South Africa. Established with support from major oil producers and importers, ROSE coordinates public education campaigns, maintains a network of registered collectors and drop-off points, and advocates for stronger enforcement of environmental legislation related to used oil.
Operators like Auto Blue Oils that are accredited by ROSE Foundation have passed a rigorous assessment of their facilities, vehicles, documentation practices and environmental compliance. For generators choosing a collection partner, ROSE accreditation is one of the most reliable indicators that the company will handle their oil responsibly and legally.
Despite the progress, significant challenges remain. A substantial volume of used oil is still disposed of illegally every year in South Africa — particularly by small informal operators who are either unaware of the rules or believe the cost of compliance outweighs the risk of enforcement. Expanding the reach of legitimate collection services into townships and rural areas remains a key priority for the industry.
For the eco warriors of the oil business, the work is far from done. But the trajectory is clear — a growing, professional, regulated industry that is gradually bringing more and more of South Africa's used oil into a responsible, circular system. One collection at a time.
Schedule a compliant collection with Auto Blue Oils — fast, documented and accredited.