Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati

What Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati does

Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati (CONOU) is the Italian national, statutorily-mandated non-profit consortium responsible for the collection, management and regeneration of used mineral lubricating oils. Established in 1982 by Decree 691 of the President of the Republic and originally named COOU (renamed CONOU in 2017), the consortium coordinates a national supply chain of 58-60 licensed collection companies (concessionaries) and three regeneration plants operated by two private companies, Itelyum and Ramoil. The system collected approximately 194,500 tonnes of used oil in 2025 (up from 188,000 tonnes in 2024) and achieves a 98% regeneration rate, the highest in Europe and well above the continental average of 61%, with only heavily polluted oils diverted to combustion or thermal destruction.

CONOU's business model is a regulated, contribution-funded model rather than a commercial revenue model. Companies that place lubricating oils on the Italian market pay an environmental contribution ('contributo ambientale'), which funds free waste-oil collection services for producers (workshops, factories, citizens) and economic compensation to regeneration companies under Law 166/2009, enabling regenerated bases to compete at market prices with virgin petroleum-derived bases. Regenerated bases supplied through this system account for approximately 25% of the Italian lubricating base market. The collection service is delivered free of charge to standard waste-oil holders through 673 collection vehicles traveling over 25 million km annually and serving more than 103,000 collection points; citizens are reached through municipal collection centers, the CERTO mobile app, and a toll-free number (800 863 048).

The consortium operates as a public-private cooperation model with ministerial oversight (Ministry of Ecological Transition, Ministry of Economic Development), a Board of Directors led by Chairman and CEO Riccardo Piunti (since 2021), and a Board of Statutory Auditors. It holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2023, UNI/PdR 125:2022 gender equality, and GRI-aligned sustainability certifications, with an independently verified ISO 14040/14044 Life Cycle Assessment. Quantified environmental outcomes include approximately 90,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided annually, 7.4 million GJ of fossil energy saved in 2024, and 49 million cubic meters of water saved per year, with over EUR 73 million in direct economic value generated in 2024 across the supply chain of approximately 1,980 workers.

Name

Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati

Legal name

Consorzio Nazionale per la Gestione, Raccolta e Trattamento degli Oli Minerali Usati

Website

https://conou.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati (CONOU) is the Italian statutorily-mandated non-profit consortium coordinating nationwide collection and regeneration of used mineral lubricating oils via 58-60 licensed collection companies and 3 private regeneration plants, serving workshops, factories, and citizens across Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Used Oil Collection and Regeneration Services

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191), Petroleum Refineries (324110), Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (324)

SIC

Petroleum Refining (2911), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Oil Collection, Re-refining & Circularity (Waste Oil, Recycled Base Oils) (EUALAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Used Oil & Oily Waste Management (Collection, Re-refining, Disposal) (BPALAFAI), Base Oil Production & Supply (Group I–V, Re-refined) (EUALAJAA)

Keywords

• Used oil collection
• Mineral oil regeneration
• Hazardous waste management
• Circular economy services
• Lubricant recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Environmental Contribution: CONOU operates as a non-profit consortium funded through environmental contributions (contributo ambientale) paid by companies that place lubricating oils on the Italian market. The consortium provides economic compensation to regeneration companies (as per Law 166 of 20/11/2009) to enable them to market regenerated bases at market prices. The collection service is completely free of charge for producers of waste oil.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CONOU is Italy's national non-profit consortium mandated by law to collect, transport, and regenerate used mineral lubricating oils generated by workshops, industrial facilities, and citizens. It coordinates a nationwide network of 60 licensed collection companies and 3 regeneration plants (operated by Itelyum and Ramoil) that convert used oil into regenerated base lubricant, producing approximately 65 kg of base oil and 22 kg of diesel/bitumen from every 100 kg of used oil feedstock.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CERTO: Digital app that simplifies the management and collection of used mineral oil, designed for workshops and all producers of this hazardous waste.

Products and services

• CERTO Mobile App Digital mobile application that simplifies and manages the collection of used mineral oil for workshops and waste producers across Italy.
• National Used Oil Collection Service Free nationwide collection of used mineral lubricating oils from workshops and factories through a network of 60 licensed concessionaries using 673 collection vehicles and over 103,000 collection points.
• Used Oil Regeneration Service Regeneration of used mineral oil into new base lubricant through 3 plants operated by Itelyum and Ramoil, achieving approximately 65% yield of regenerated base oil per 100 kg of used oil feedstock.
• Municipal Collection Center Finder Searchable directory of municipal collection points and concessionaries enabling citizens to dispose of small quantities of household used oil at nearby collection centers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of collected waste oil is regenerated, compared to 61% European average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core, minor and flagship.

• CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2025Research collaboration protocol for disposal, recovery and regeneration of used oils. Signed in Rome to advance joint research on used oil management and circular economy solutions.
• UNEM (Unione Nazionale Energie per la Mobilità)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2023Protocollo d'intesa for sustainability in road transport and used oil collection and recovery activities, promoting increased use of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel in collection vehicles. HVO reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90%, supporting decarbonization of transport and circular economy transition.
• ADM (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Convenzione for more effective management and control of environmental contributions collected by customs on imported lubricants, and to strengthen controls on potential evasion by companies placing products on the Italian market.
• GeopopminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Digital awareness campaign partnership with Geopop, an Italian scientific communication project active on social media. Collaboration includes Instagram Q&A content and articles about used oil collection and regeneration.
• Ruggero RolliniminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Science communicator and sustainability influencer partnership for edutainment content about used lubricating oil collection and regeneration on social media channels.
• LegambienteflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2011Long-standing partnership including Goletta Verde (coastal environmental campaign) and Goletta dei Laghi (lakes campaign), Ecomondo participation, and EcoForum events. Partnership since 2011 to raise public awareness about environmental protection and proper used oil disposal.
• ItelyumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOne of two private companies operating regeneration plants for used mineral oil. Itelyum operates regeneration facilities as part of the consortium's supply chain.
• RamoilcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOne of two private companies operating regeneration plants for used mineral oil. RA.M.OIL operates regeneration facilities as part of the consortium's supply chain.
• ANCO (Associazione Nazionale Concessionari Consorzi)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Association of Consortium Concessionaries representing the 60 licensed collection companies that form the backbone of CONOU's collection network.
• Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza EnergeticacoreOthersItalian Ministry providing oversight, regulatory framework, and occasional co-patronage of educational campaigns like CircOLIamo.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Neste: Finnish refiner that has expanded into circular and renewable feedstock processing, including used oil-derived products. Broad incumbent adjacent to CONOU in the circular-economy base oil space.
• Safety-Kleen: North America's largest collector and re-refiner of used oil and provider of industrial waste services. A broad incumbent operating at much larger scale across multiple hazardous-waste streams rather than specialising only in used mineral oil.
• Heritage-Crystal Clean: U.S. provider of used oil collection, re-refining and environmental services. Directly comparable activity to CONOU (used oil collection and re-refining) but operates as a publicly-listed for-profit across multiple waste streams.

Direct peers

• Itelyum: Italy's leading used oil regeneration company and one of CONOU's two private regeneration partners (operating plants in the consortium's network). Itelyum also operates as a standalone regenerator and re-refined base oil producer across Europe, making it the closest functional peer.
• Viscolube: Italian re-refiner of used lubricating oils (historically an independent peer to Itelyum and to CONOU's regeneration supply chain). Operates one of Italy's main re-refining plants producing regenerated base oils for the lubricant industry.
• SIGAUS: Portuguese integrated management system for used industrial oils — a directly comparable national EPR-style consortium model, funded by environmental contributions and coordinating collection and regeneration of waste oils in Portugal.
• Avista Oil: German used oil re-refining group operating re-refineries in Germany and the UK, producing regenerated base oils. Direct European functional peer to CONOU's regeneration side of the value chain.
• Holborn Europe (Puraglobe): European used oil re-refining company (formerly Puraglobe) operating one of Europe's largest re-refineries in Germany, producing API Group II/II+ base oils from used oils. Comparable to CONOU in its regeneration-from-waste model.

Others

• Veolia: Global environmental services group providing hazardous and industrial waste management, including used oil handling in multiple geographies. Not a direct competitor to CONOU's re-refining output, but adjacent infrastructure partner / benchmark for EPR service delivery.
• SUEZ: Major European water and waste management group with hazardous waste collection and treatment capabilities. Adjacent rather than direct competitor to CONOU, but a relevant comparison point for national-scale EPR infrastructure operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/greenleague_conou
• YouTubeyoutube.com/embed/96nBsf-AacU
• Xx.com/Conou_consorzio
• Facebookfacebook.com/conou.consorzio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consorzio Nazionale Oli Minerali Usati