Oil waste disposal is no longer the problem it once was, thanks to developing energy technologies. That’s because it is now possible to convert recycled cooking oils into biofuels—a renewable source of energy that comes from biological matter. For this reason, old fryer oil has become a valuable commodity, and many non-profit organizations and alternative energy companies are more than happy to give restaurants and other foodservice providers free bins for depositing their spent oil, which they will also collect at no charge, often paying for the oil waste.
If you have the opportunity to support such community programs, do so because converting spent oil into recycled biofuels makes sense on many levels:
- Biofuels are good for the environment. Besides being non-toxic and biodegradable, they produce fewer airborne pollutants than petroleum-based energy products.
- When you funnel spent oil into energy production, you are helping to remove it from the food chain. This is especially important for countries where it is still legal to use spent oil in animal feed.
- And finally, when you support local biofuel production, you are supporting your local economy because every gallon of locally-produced biofuel replaces one gallon of imported petroleum fuel.
Fill Up & Save Money
To start saving energy dollars, evaluate your business needs and see what changes you can make to start taking advantage of the latest developments in energy technology.
- Use biodiesel fuel in place of petroleum-diesel fuel.
Biodiesel fuel costs less per gallon, and can be used
without making any modifications whatsoever to your
diesel engines. Various communities around the country
are already using locally-produced biodiesel fuels for their public fleet of vehicles, such as garbage trucks and buses.
- Consider using fryer-oil fuel. Running your vehicles and commercial equipment directly off of used fryer oil has become a viable option with the latest conversion kits. They do require an investment, but the payback period can be surprisingly short.
What If My Waste Oil Is Dark Brown?
Should you have any questions about whether or not your waste oil is suitable for recycling, you’ll be glad to know that it really doesn’t matter how brown, or used, it is because, regardless of its state, waste oil has excellent lubricating qualities that make it a great fuel for diesel engines.
FoodServiceWarehouse.com was founded in June 2006 to provide businesses with a wide selection of high-quality
restaurant equipment and restaurant supplies from the world’s best-known brands. They have since become an industry-wide leader, empowering customers to make their own businesses more successful. The site offers a wide range of articles, research materials and products for the conscientious foodservice operator.