Ethanol & Ethyl Alcohol Reuse and Recycling Services
At Altiras, we specialize in the beneficial reuse and recycling of ethanol and ethyl alcohol, helping industries reduce waste and recover valuable materials. Ethanol is a widely used solvent with applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and petrochemicals. However, when it no longer meets certain quality standards, recycling offers a sustainable solution.
Ethanol recycling is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), ensuring compliance with strict safety and environmental guidelines. Many users can reuse ethanol “as-is” without further processing if it retains sufficient quality.
Generally, ethanol products with low color and purity levels above 90% are reusable without modification. These products can often be reintroduced into industrial processes or sold for similar applications. However, when the ethanol shows signs of degradation—such as lower purity, higher color, or unusual odors—recycling becomes a viable option.
Altiras offers two main options for recycling ethanol. First, we can recover and return the processed ethanol to the original producer, maintaining a closed-loop system. Alternatively, we can purchase the ethanol, process it to restore its quality, and then sell it to our customer base. This approach not only reduces waste but also provides an affordable source of ethanol for industries that rely on it.
The table below summarizes the characteristics of ethanol products suitable to be recycled or reused.
| Characteristic | Reuse | Recycle |
| Ethanol Concentration, wt% | >90% | >50% |
| Color, Pt-Co | <30 | >30 |
| Water, wt% | 0-10% | 0-30% |
| Components lighter than ethanol, wt% | <2% | <10% |
| Components heavier than ethanol, wt% | <2% | <30% |
| Annual Volume, lbs | >500,000 | >2,000,000 |
| Packaging | bulk rail, truck, tote | bulk rail, truck, tote |
Please note that we prefer to handle full, bulk truckload, or rail tank car quantities for recycling. We only consider tote quantities for consistent products.