The inadequate final disposal of hazardous industrial waste, such as bentonite used in the refining processes of contaminated automotive lubricants, generates a series of negative environmental impacts on water, air and soil resources. To contribute to the minimization of these impacts, the purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the biodegradation capacity of a sample of automotive lubricating oil trapped in bentonite clay, using the bacterial consortium Oil Eating Microbes (Rodhococus pyridinivorans, Pseudomonas montielli and Bacillus sp.). To obtain the maximum performance of the biodegradation of the oil (reduction of total hydrocarbons of oil in the clay), by the bacterial consortium, two experimental tests were carried out, in a five liter capacity bioreactor, where the concentration of biodegradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons was measured, the first was performe...