The average restaurant produces nearly 6,700 pounds of used cooking oil per year. That’s a lot of oil! In fact, many establishments, such as fast food restaurants, produce a much higher volume per year. Menus with a heavy amount of fried foods can produce upwards of 30,000 pounds in a single year.

What do you do with it once it is used? Pour it down the drain? Throw it away? Neither are safe or environmentally-friendly options. How used cooking oil is collected and where it goes can not only affect a restaurant’s operations and safety, but the public’s perception of the restaurant’s brand as well.

The best, and correct, thing to do with your used cooking oil is to recycle it with a reputable service provider. This process is simple and can have a lasting impact on the enviroment and the business. Recycling used cooking oil gives it a productive purpose long after it leaves your fryer and, in this current culture of social responsibility, ensures you are doing your part to contribute to a more sustainable environment and a healthier future.

Let's look at some of the environmental benefits to properly recycling your used cooking oil.

1. Create biodiesel and renewable fuel

The North American rendering industry collects 4 billion pounds of used cooking oil per year. Why is it collected and where does it all go? When handled properly, it can help contribute to a cleaner and safer environment. Used cooking oil can be repurposed as an ingredient to produce two types of fuel: biodiesel and renewable fuel.

Biodiesel is an add-in diesel to petroleum that can help power trucks and railcars. It can also help reduce the world’s dependence on limited resources like petroleum fuels that are more harmful to the environment.  

Renewable diesel is a similar but improved concept that has a nearly identical makeup to petroleum diesel. Unlike biodiesel, it can be placed back into the fuel grid for distribution. Its properties are so similar that diesel trucks and machinery can run off of it entirely with no performance drop off while emitting significantly less carbon than traditional fossil fuels.  

Both options are significantly better alternatives to fossil fuels. Your used cooking oil is a vital ingredient for the production of this next generation of fuel.

Fewer greenhouse gas emissions

The rendering industry removes 4.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases from re-entering the environment annually, according to the North American Renderers Association. This is in part due to the trickle down effect of recycling used cooking oil so that it can be repurposed into biodiesel, and because renewable diesel is a cleaner-burning fuel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent per gallon.  

The rendering industry also helps reduce the world’s carbon footprint by diminishing our reliance on limited resources. The North American Renderer’s association also estimates that rendering plants in North America reduce carbon emissions by approximately 12 million cars per year. By partnering with a used cooking oil recycler, you can help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from returning to the environment and lower the world’s carbon footprint.

2. Prevent drain clogs and sewage overflows

Though you make think of hot cooking oil as a liquid that can be disposed of down a sink or drainage outlet like excess water, it is quite the opposite. When the oil cools, it solidifies and will eventually clog your drain. Pouring oil down a drain is a recipe for disaster and a clog will require a plumbing service to fix. It can also cause a sewage overflow that will seep into your parking lot or streets, which could lead to costly fines.   

Read more in our blog: What Happens to Used Cooking Oil When It Goes Down the Drain

Partnering with a recycler will remove this potential headache and provide a responsible disposal outlet that prevents oil from trickling into city sewer and water systems.

 

3. Reduce landfill waste

You may think that putting your used cooking oil in the garbage is a viable option. While it is slightly less harmful than pouring it down the drain, it is still a poor and irresponsible way to handle oil. Not only does it waste a valuable and reusable resource, it increases landfill dumping and can still end up in a sewage system or bodies of water that can cause problems for wildlife.   

Additionally, while that hardened oil is sitting in your garbage bin waiting to be hauled off, it will eventually create a foul odor and could attract rodents. This is also a possibility if you choose to compost used cooking oil, as it takes longer to break down and can reduce the airflow through the compost. 

4. Produce nutrient-rich animal feed

Recycling used cooking oil also helps enhance animal feeds. Used oil is a common replacement for corn due to its nutrients acting as an alternative source for calories. In fact, these nutrients can contain 2.25x more energy than corn. This is particularly beneficial for pig and poultry farms located in areas with hot weather that encourages the livestock to eat less. These nutrients provide more energy and calories in a smaller amount of food, helping keep the livestock healthy despite the restrictive weather.  

Learn more about the rendering process that transforms the collected waste into new ingredients here: A Second Life for Used Cooking Oil and Animal Fats

As you can probably tell by now, there are several benefits in recycling your used cooking oil. There are also quite a few negative consequences to improper disposal.  Properly recycling your used cooking oil will have a lasting positive effect on the environment by reducing emissions, lowering your carbon footprint, and helping create a more sustainable future. 

The next time you consider what to do with your used cooking oil, think of the immense value and long-term benefit to the environment for recycling it. You can do your part to contribute to a healthier environment and greener world.  


DAR PRO Solutions helps food service partners across the U.S. seamlessly incorporate used cooking oil recycling into the next level of operations. Reach out to a representative today and find out how your business can benefit from our partnership. Call us 24/7/365 at 855-DAR-PRO1 (855-327-7761).

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11/04/2020