Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Tata Motors have partnered on a pilot project focused on the organised collection and recycling of used automotive lubricants, as India strengthens its regulatory focus on waste oil management and circular economy compliance.

The initiative seeks to create a more structured system for handling used lubricants through formal collection, transportation and recycling channels. The pilot will also support efforts around traceability and environmentally sound disposal practices under the country’s evolving Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for waste oil.

As part of the collaboration, HPCL will oversee aggregation, logistics and channelisation of used oil to authorised recyclers, while Tata Motors will utilise its service network to facilitate collection and responsible disposal practices across its ecosystem.

The development comes amid growing attention on industrial waste streams such as used oil, batteries, plastics and e-waste, which are increasingly being viewed as recoverable resources within India’s circular economy transition.

“Achieving true circularity in used oil begins with reintegrating re-refined base oil into finished lubricants. Our collaboration with Tata Motors is a significant step towards building a scalable model for used oil circularity and reducing the carbon footprint across operations,” said Ch Srinivas, Executive Director – Lubricants, HPCL.

Highlighting the environmental risks associated with improper disposal of used lubricants, Vikram Agrawal, Head – Parts and Services, Tata Motors Ltd, said responsible management systems would require strong operational partnerships and scalable collection mechanisms.

“Used automotive lubricant, if not handled responsibly, can cause long-term environmental harm. Addressing this challenge calls for credible partners, clear processes and the ability to operate at scale,” he said.

Agrawal added that the pilot could help establish a broader framework for organised used oil recovery and recycling across the automotive sector.

The project is expected to begin across select states and will be monitored jointly by representatives from both companies to assess operational feasibility, collection efficiency and scalability potential.