Used oil processing and utilisation in the Zala Refinery

The processing of used oil and the use of the product generated (flux oil) in bitumen production is one of the most profitable activities of the company.

The collection and processing of used oil amounts to the utilisation of more than 10 thousand tonnes of hazardous waste annually, which does not pollute the environment in any form, and in addition, the reclaiming
of the environmental product fee and the recycling of the products from processing generate substantial profits for the company. The receipt, treatment, processing and utilisation of the waste are carried out by the Zala Refinery. The so-called A1V distillation plant previously carrying out oil refining can realise modern processing; the plant with an annual capacity of 180 thousand tonnes, but processing only 10–12 thousand tonnes used oil only since 2002, had to be retrofitted for carrying out the new task and upgraded so that it carries out an economically viable activity, compliant with all the environmental protection criteria and legal regulations.
This article deals with the description of the developments and changes which were executed by the Zala Refinery in the past 6 years so that it can carry out the processing and recycling of used oil with up-to-date means in a cost efficient way by fully complying with the requirements set forth in its Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) permit.

Rudolf Durgó, Gábor Bodnár