The Connection Between Used Cooking Oil and Climate Change

In the heart of every restaurant’s bustling kitchen lies an unexpected treasure: used cooking oil. Every crunchy french fry, mozzarella stick, and piece of crispy chicken generates cooking oil. But this oil’s journey doesn’t have to end when it leaves the fryer. Recycling your restaurant’s used cooking oil isn’t just a way to address your waste problems – it can help fight climate change.

Consider the fact that kitchens in hotels and restaurants generate about three billion pounds of used cooking oil each year, according to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Not only that, but in the United States restaurants generate about 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste annually. That’s a lot of waste.

Right now, the potential of used cooking oil has never been higher. What’s not commonly known is that used cooking oil can be transformed into renewable plastics and lower-emission renewable fuels, like renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), part of a growing list of useful products derived from recycled cooking oil and other renewable raw materials. 

Industry Innovation

As world energy sources decline, demand is skyrocketing for renewable fuels. In turn, the demand for renewable raw materials to produce renewable fuel, like used cooking oil, is also rising. Restaurants and businesses across the U.S. are required by municipalities to have a used cooking oil recycling and grease trap partner, but there can be added benefits like opportunities for cost-reduction.

A lot of companies in the industry have been innovating the ways to conduct business and streamline the used cooking oil collection process. It might be a little surprising but the fact is that used cooking oil theft has been an issue for the industry, so preventing it ensures restaurants get the best value for their oil. The North American Renderers Association estimates that “up to $75 million worth of used cooking oil is stolen in the United States every year.” This number is only expected to grow. 

Take Advantage of the Benefits

Beyond leveraging used cooking oil as a raw material for renewable products, recycling used cooking oil offers a number of benefits to restaurants –  Reliable collection and recycling services streamline waste management processes, reducing the burden on restaurant staff and infrastructure. 

Proper removal of used cooking oil from restaurants is important because cooking oil can be dangerous for the environment if disposed of improperly. Working with established recyclers can also help mitigate theft and ensure the oil is used for legitimate recycling purposes. While it may not seem worth much, across the country, there have been instances of thieves siphoning grease from restaurant storage containers to sell it for a profit later. In some cases, restaurants can even receive compensation for their used cooking oil, turning waste management into a revenue-generating activity. 

By recycling used cooking oil, we’re making the planet and kitchen safer. It paves the way for restaurants to hop onto more sustainable practices and reap the benefits. Envisioning the transformative potential of repurposing the vast amounts of used cooking oil from countless restaurants paints a hopeful picture of the world that runs increasingly on renewables, ensuring a more sustainable path forward.