Guidance

T33: recovering central heating oil by filtration

T33 exemption allows you to filter central heating oil from disused tanks so that it can be reused.

Applies to England

There’s a charge for most waste exemptions

This exemption is in band 2. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

Types of activity you can carry out

Includes filtering central heating oil from disused tanks so that the oil can be reused.

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

  • treat any other types of oil by filtration
  • treat central heating oil for disposal
  • mix hazardous waste with other hazardous or non-hazardous waste

Types of waste you can treat

The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.

Waste code Type of waste
13 07 01* Central heating oil only

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Quantity of waste you can treat

You can treat up to 400 litres of central heating oil over any 7-day period.

Key conditions

The waste must be:

  • stored with secondary containment
  • treated in a location with sealed drainage

Register this exemption

You must register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you meet the requirements.

Definitions

Hazardous waste – see how to classify different types of waste.

Secondary containment – a bund or any other system for preventing waste that has leaked from its main container from escaping from the place where it is stored or treated.

Sealed drainage – a drainage system with an impermeable surface that makes sure that:

  • no liquid will run off the surface apart from via the system
  • except where they may be lawfully discharged, all liquids entering the system are collected in a sealed sump

Updates to this page

Published 28 April 2014
Last updated 1 July 2025 show all updates
  1. Updated with a link to new information about charges and charging bands for waste exemptions.

  2. First published.

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