The purpose of this work is to explore the micellization and surface characteristics of recycled monoethanolamine (MEA) surfactants, designated as MK 1, MK 2, and MK 3, and to assess their potential in promoting sustainability. Traditional surfactants contribute to environmental pollution due to their non-renewable sources and persistence in nature. This study addresses the knowledge gap in sustainable surfactant development by investigating the efficacy of recycled MEA surfactants. Its novelty lies in its innovative recycling process, which not only reduces waste, but also produces surfactants with superior properties. This study also investigates the distillation-based separation of MEA from degraded compounds, showcasing its potential in waste management. It was found that a maximum MEA separation of 17 % was achieved with a resulting purity of 83 %. Optimal conditions, including the use of catalysts and a temperature of 393 K, led to enhanced oleic acid conversion. Similarly, reactions conducted with catalysts at 433 K for 3 h demonstrated favorable outcomes. Surfactant MK-1 exhibited superior foam and emulsifying abilities, generating a foam height of 60 cm with only 8 cm lost after 10 min. Regarding emulsifying properties, the sunflower oil/water system with a 0.1 % MK-1 solution exhibited delayed water separation from the emulsion. MK-3 displayed the highest pC20 value at 2.91. Among the MEA-based surfactants, MK-1 reduced surface tension to 33.1 mN/m. The maximum surface excess concentration (Γmax) for all surfactants was consistent. This demonstrate that recycled MEA surfactants exhibit favorable micellization properties, with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) comparable to that of virgin counterparts. Over ten cycles of use and regeneration, the performance of recycled MEA surfactants remained stable. Surface tension measurements indicate improved interfacial activity, while emulsification capacity tests reveal enhanced performance in forming stable emulsions. This implies the potential of recycled MEA surfactants to produce high-performance surfactants, thereby promoting sustainability in the chemical industry