If you are a local business or organisation that uses vegetable oil then please contact us for details of our collection service.

For health reasons it is best that frying oils are not used repeatedly.  Solidified fat can also block drains so it is not advisable to pour oils and fats down the sink.  If oil is poured down sinks or drains it can cause blockages for both your premises and  neighbours, and can pollute water over a wide area.  Oil cans placed in dustbins and wheelies often leak and can be dangerous for refuse collectors.  Before oil is collected you should store it in containers which do not leak, keep them covered and keep the surrounding area clean.

Hydrogenated oils

Some oils go through the hydrogenation process.  Hydrogenated oils, or transfats, are less desirable on health grounds, as when these fats enter your body it is harder to get rid of them and the build up could lead to heart attacks.  Because of the use of hydrogenated oils as a food additive in processed and fast foods, most people receive more of these fats than the recommended limits.  It is worth looking at food labelling to avoid them.

Pollution

Oil is one of the most commonly reported types of water pollution, causing nearly a quarter of all pollution incidents.  Careless disposal of oil into drainage systems, onto land or to watercourses is an offence.  It can harm river birds, fish and other wildlife.  Although oil breaks down in water, the process uses up vast amounts of oxygen that would have remained in the waterways for wildlife.

Because of the way oil spreads, even a small quantity can cause a lot of harm. It is estimated that UK caterers produce between 50 - 90 million litres of waste cooking oil each year.  If this is not disposed of correctly the effects of oil pollution on the environment could be quite devastating.

WASTE TIP:  

If you find your premises is not producing enough waste oil for a collection, maybe you could join with other nearby food establishments to arrange a joint collection.

Changing times

Due to increased regulation, as a result of the Belgium dioxin and French sewage problems in 1999, many collectors have left the industry. 

There has been discussion at EU level as to whether reuse of oil should be banned.  This would have had serious environmental implications.  From autumn 2004 it will no longer be permitted to reuse waste oil as animal feed.  Used vegetable oils can be used to burn in power stations, helping to produce cleaner energy when it is co-fired with fossil fuels.  Or they may be used as a lubricant.  The main positive news is that it can now be used as Biodiesel, which may contribute to reducing the damaging effects of transport on the climate.

Climate change is likely to bring extreme and catastrophic weather events such as flooding, storms, drought; loss of vulnerable species unable to adapt to climate change or habitat loss; a global rise in sea levels endangering human populations and habitats. 

Collecting used vegetable oil as a local feedstock to produce Biodiesel makes sense and helps to make a difference towards a more sustainable future.

Sundance Renewables is a non-profit co-operative organisation dedicated to helping to protect the global environment by reducing the impact of energy use and promoting sustainable lifestyles.