On May 2012 Consorzio Obbligatorio Oli Usati (COOU - the Italian consortium that manages the collection of exhausted lubricants used in internal combustion engines) signed an agreement with the China National Resources Recycling Association with the aim to share the know-how developed in Italy so far.

Established in 1984, the Consortium has developed a wide range of best practices in the collection and regeneration of used lubricants, and in all the legislative aspects that regulate the sector. In 28 years COOU collected 4,72 million tons of exhausted mineral oils, 4,18 of which were regenerated and partly turned into new lubricant that was sold on the market. Some 0,51 million tons were used in cement production plants as fuel instead of coal and only 27,900 tons were incinerated because too polluted to be reused.

Thanks to the excellent results achieved so far (collection of 95% of the total lubricant used in Italy and regeneration of 88.6% of it), the consortium can now offer its experience and export its knowledge to those developing economies where there is increasing concern about the correct treatment of used oils.

The agreement was signed during a recent mission to China of the COOU delegation and is part of the Sino Italian cooperation agreement supported by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea.

For more information please visit the COOU website (Italian only)