3rd Rosefield Conference On Circular Economy in Used Oil - Embarking into the EPR Era

The 3rd Rosefield Conference on Circular Economy in Used Oil, held on 20th June 2024 at the Taj Palace in New Delhi, gathered over 270 participants, marking a pivotal step in promoting sustainability under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. This event featured six sessions with more than 25 speakers, providing an in-depth analysis of the future of used oil management.

Key Highlights:

Inauguration and Keynote Speakers:

Chief Guest: Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, known for his contributions to national security and innovation.

Chief Mentor: Dr. SSV Ramakumar, a leader in the lubricant industry.

Guests of Honour: Included Vinod Babu (CPCB), Sandeep Kalia (Valvoline Cummins), Shailendra Gokhale (Rosefield Energy Tech), Madan Lal Khandelwal (PRAI), Urmila Bhargava (IFP Petro), Spyros Thomas (LPC SA), and Mario Majic (Avista Oil).

Sessions and Discussions:

Policy Perspectives:

Panelists: Prabhjot Sodhi (CEE), Vinod Babu (CPCB), Shailendra Gokhale (Rosefield Energy Tech), and Amit Verma (Niti Aayog).

Focus: Current and future state of used oil management in India, importance of EPR, technological and policy advancements, improper disposal, and the informal sector’s role in oil collection.

EPR Compliance Strategies:

Panelists: Kapil Vyas (SGSPL), Shakti Mishra (HPCL), Vikas Gupta (Nandan Petrochem), Binu Chandy (PETRONAS), and Kailash Sawant (Lubrizol).

Focus: Strategies for EPR compliance, need for a robust oil collection ecosystem, circular green lubricants, government support, and innovative solutions.

Global Perspectives:

Speakers: Dr. Christos from LPC SA (Greece) and Mario Majic from Avista Oil (Germany).

Focus: Best practices from other countries and their adaptation to the Indian context.

OEMs and Used Oil Collection:

Panelists: Prashant Banerjee (SIAM), R. Ramaprabhu (Mahindra & Mahindra), Kedar Gore (Rosefield Energy Tech), and Senthil Kumar (Ashok Leyland).

Focus: Challenges with current regulations, market conditions, and efforts to improve used oil collection and re-refining.

Re-refiners’ Role:

Panelists: Sudhir Sachdeva (Siddharth Grease), Gaurav Maheshwari (Shell), Sarvesh Kumar (IOCL), Meenal Passi (BIS), and Philip Mathew (PRAI).

Focus: BIS regulations for Used Motor Oil (UMO) and Recycled, Re-refined Base Oils (RRBO), standards, technological advancements, and industry challenges.

Developing a Unified Roadmap:

Panelists: Dr. SSV Ramakumar (IOCL), Sandeep Kalia (Valvoline), Arijit Basu (Veedol), Sanjay Kumar (HPCL), Manish Sharma (RECEIC), Sudhir Kumar (Niti Aayog), and Senthil Kumar (Ashok Leyland).

Focus: Stakeholder collaboration, technological advancements, effective logistics, improving reverse logistics, OEM support for EPR, and necessary regulatory updates.

Major Announcement:

Rosefield Energy Tech’s “RecykLube” Initiative: This initiative aims to revolutionize oil collection through technology, ensuring end-to-end used oil collection visibility and monetary transparency, significantly aiding EPR compliance.

Conclusion:

Participation from over 120 companies, including top lubricant manufacturers, Auto OEMs, local and global re-refiners, and government officials, demonstrated the broad industry commitment. The insights and strategies shared at the conference are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of used oil management in India as the industry moves forward into the EPR era.