Separators & interceptors
What does interceptor cleaning cost?
Emptying and cleaning a typical forecourt or car park interceptor costs £300–£800 per visit, depending on tank size and how much oily waste comes out (typical 2026 quotes). The waste is hazardous, so the price includes a licensed carrier and consignment note paperwork, not just a tanker. Tell us about your site and licensed tank cleaning contractors will quote their price for the job.
£300–£800
typical per-visit cost to empty and clean an interceptor (typical 2026 quotes)
Consignment note
required every time oily interceptor waste leaves your site, with a licensed carrier
Annual
servicing and integrity checks commonly recommended by manufacturers and guidance, there is no statutory emptying interval
How it works
- Tell us about the site: tank count, when it was last emptied, how urgent. Two minutes, no account.
- We pass your details to relevant licensed tank cleaning contractors covering your postcode, and to no one else.
- They contact you directly with their price for the job, waste disposal and paperwork included. Compare, choose, or walk away.
Interceptor Cleaning Cost is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to relevant tank cleaning contractors who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not a waste or drainage contractor and nothing here is legal or environmental compliance advice; cost figures are typical 2026 quote ranges that vary by region, tank size and waste volume.
Typical interceptor cleaning costs, 2026
Last updated
What emptying, cleaning and servicing an oil/silt separator (interceptor) typically costs. These are typical quote ranges observed across the UK market in 2026, not fixed prices; tank size, waste volume and access move the figure.
Ranges reflect typical quotes for interceptor emptying and cleaning observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, tank size, waste volume and access. The removed oily waste is hazardous waste, so quotes should include a licensed waste carrier and consignment note (gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste). There is no statutory emptying interval; servicing frequency follows manufacturer and guidance recommendations, commonly annual with regular checks. Get exact prices for your site via the form above.
| Item | Typical cost (2026 quotes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Routine empty and clean, typical forecourt or car park interceptor | £300–£800 per visit | Tanker, jetting/cleaning, licensed disposal and consignment note included in a proper quote |
| Large or long-neglected tanks | Above the routine range, priced on waste volume | Years of silt and oil mean more tanker loads; contractors quote after asking about size and history |
| Regular servicing contract (e.g. annual) | Often discounts the per-visit price | Scheduled visits are cheaper to deliver than emergency callouts |
| Integrity/condition check with the service | Commonly bundled | Annual servicing and integrity checks are standard maintenance practice per manufacturer and EN-type guidance, commonly recommended |
- Emptying and cleaning a typical forecourt or car park interceptor costs £300–£800 per visit (typical 2026 quotes; varies by tank size and waste volume).
- Waste removed from an oil interceptor is hazardous waste: it must leave site with a licensed waste carrier under a consignment note (gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste).
- There is no statutory emptying interval for interceptors; annual servicing with regular checks is the commonly recommended maintenance practice, per manufacturer guidance and GPP 3.
Cite this page
“Typical interceptor cleaning costs, 2026”, Interceptor Cleaning Cost, https://interceptorcleaningcost.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Ranges reflect typical quotes for interceptor emptying and cleaning observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, tank size, waste volume and access. The removed oily waste is hazardous waste, so quotes should include a licensed waste carrier and consignment note (gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste). There is no statutory emptying interval; servicing frequency follows manufacturer and guidance recommendations, commonly annual with regular checks. Get exact prices for your site via the form above.
Go deeper
Sourced, dated, kept current.
- How often should an interceptor be emptied?
There is no statutory emptying interval for interceptors. Annual servicing with regular checks is the commonly recommended practice; condition sets the real frequency.
- Interceptor cleaning regulations: what's law and what's guidance
Interceptor waste is hazardous waste: licensed carrier and consignment note required by law. GPP 3 servicing is guidance. What site managers must keep on file.
- Forecourt interceptor cleaning: costs and what a good visit covers
Forecourt interceptor cleaning typically costs £300–£800 per visit (typical 2026 quotes). What a good visit covers and why forecourts service more often.
- Grease interceptor cleaning: a different tank, a different service
Grease interceptors (kitchen grease traps) are not oil separators: different waste, different service. How the two differ and what grease trap cleaning involves.
Questions, answered directly
How much does interceptor cleaning cost?
Typically £300–£800 per visit for a routine empty and clean of a forecourt or car park interceptor (typical 2026 quotes). Tank size and waste volume are the main levers; large or long-neglected tanks cost more because there is more hazardous waste to tanker away. Contract servicing usually prices below one-off callouts.
How often does an interceptor need emptying?
There is no statutory interval. GPP 3 guidance and manufacturers commonly recommend regular checks and servicing, commonly at least annually, with emptying driven by accumulated oil and silt. Busy forecourts often service six-monthly; quieter sites often find annual visits enough.
Where does the waste go?
Oily interceptor waste is hazardous waste: it must leave site with a licensed waste carrier under a consignment note, and you keep the note on file (gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste). A proper quote includes the disposal and paperwork, not just the tanker.
What is GPP 3?
GPP 3 is the Guidance for Pollution Prevention on oil separators, the successor to the Environment Agency's PPG 3. It covers where separators are needed and how to maintain them. It is guidance rather than law, but following it is the recognised way to show the pollution risk is managed.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to accept any quote. We pass your details only to relevant tank cleaning contractors, who quote you directly; we may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.