Recycle Your Cooking Oil!
By Angela
Holiday hosting is upon us which means...leftovers! Leftover food, leftover waste, and the best way to handle it all. If you are like us here at Go Green Glen Ellyn, you’ve probably heard about recycling cooking oil but don’t know much about it. Let’s take a deeper dive (for all of us!) on what recycling cooking oil is all about. And if you or someone you know owns a restaurant, this ones especially for you.
I didn’t realize cooking oil was bad for the environment - is it really?
Cooking oil itself is not inherently bad for the environment, but how you dispose of it can have negative impacts.
Pouring cooking oil down the drain can clog pipes and sewage systems, leading to expensive repairs and potentially causing environmental damage. In addition, if cooking oil is not disposed of properly and ends up in water bodies, it can harm wildlife and disrupt our delicate ecosystem.
Is cooking oil biodegradable?
Cooking oil is not biodegradable because it doesn't break down naturally in the environment. Cooking oil can be recycled and used for other purposes, like producing biodiesel fuel.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from cooking oil — which can be used in place of traditional fossil fuels.
I don’t use much cooking oil - do I really need to recycle it?
It’s worth pointing out that small amounts of cooking oil can be cleaned away from the pan using paper towels before washing up and then discarded. But any amount of cooking oil that pools needs to be dealt with correctly. Certainly If you fry food, then yes, it makes sense to have a container in your kitchen to collect then recycle the oil. Pouring used cooking oil down the drain will eventually clog or crack the pipes. As the oil hardens over time, it will expand and create blockages that are expensive to fix.
I run a restaurant, should I recycle my used cooking oil?
Cooking oil is a staple in restaurant kitchens. But after chefs fry and sauté foods, the remaining oil is sometimes, without hesitation, dumped down the kitchen drain. Rather than contribute to a range of potential issues, restaurateurs are urged to recycle their used cooking oil and reap its many benefits. There are companies that provide oil recycling for restaurants if the task feels overwhelming.
Why Recycle Used Cooking Oil
Environmental protection. Recycling used cooking oil can have several positive impacts. It can prevent the oil from being disposed of improperly and reduce the demand for new oil. Recycled cooking oil can be converted into biodiesel fuel and help to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Resource conservation. Recycling used cooking oil conserves resources by providing an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. Used cooking oil can be transformed into biodiesel, which is a clean-burning fuel that can be used to power vehicles and heat homes.
Energy savings. The process of recycling used cooking oil takes less energy than the process of petroleum extraction and refining. So, using recycled cooking oil as a fuel source can save a lot of energy.
Cost savings. Recycling used cooking oil can save money over time. By disposing of used oil properly, you can avoid costly plumbing repairs and fines for oil disposal violations.
Do
Actions You Can Take
So know that you know you should recycle old cooking oil, let's learn how!
How To Recycle Old Cooking Oil
Let the oil cool completely. Hot oil can be dangerous and damage the recycling equipment.
Strain the oil to remove any food particles or debris. You can use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to do this.
Pour the oil into a sealable container like a plastic bottle or metal can. Close the container tightly to avoid any spills. Always be careful when handling and transporting used oil because the oil can get on the outside of the container and make it slippery — eventually, leading to the oil spilling out. Continue filling the container each time you use cooking oil.
Label the oil container with the kind of oil it contains. This will help your oil recycling facility determine the best way to recycle the oil.
Take or send the oil to a designated recycling center. This facility will have all the things needed to handle and process your used cooking oil safely and efficiently.
You can recycle your used cooking oil in Glen Ellyn or nearby Wheaton!
Glenbard Wastewater Authority
M-F, 7:30a-3:30p, or after-hours drop off
945 Bemis Rd, Glen Ellyn
Wheaton has monthly recycling events where they accept all sorts of items, including cooking oil.
Date: Second Saturday of each month
Time: 9 a.m. to noon
Location: Public Works Storage Yard, 820 W Liberty Drive, Wheaton (near the Wheaton Police Department)
Our friends at SCARCE have a great list of all of the places to recycle your cooking oil. Check it out! https://www.scarce.org/cooking-oil/
