How used cooking oil is collected and recycled

Used cooking oil should never be flushed down the sink or toilet because it can contaminate or block sewage and water treatment systems. Additionally, since vegetable oils float on water, introducing them into water¬ways can inhibit light from penetrating the surface. This prevents photosynthesis in aquatic plants and limits the amount of oxygen available to underwater animals. Therefore, collecting and recycling cooking oil is essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Recycling commercial cooking oil
Restaurants, grocery stores, and other commercial food manufacturers must regularly drain and replace large quantities of cooking oil. Therefore, they store the used oil in secure tanks until it can be collected by a specialized company.

Recycling cooking oil at home
Do you often use vegetable oil when cooking at home? If so, you may need to do some research to find out which recycling companies in your area take used oil and what types and sizes of containers are accepted.

Did you know you can reuse cooking oil three to four times? Simply strain it using a fine sieve covered with a coffee filter and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Remember to keep track of how many times you’ve used it by writing on the container.

Used vegetable oils can be converted into biogas, fertilizer, biofuel, and animal feed. To recycle your used oil, find a drop-off location near you.