The last thing a busy restauranteur needs is a clogged plumbing system to disrupt kitchen operations. 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
When recycling used cooking oil, the restaurant’s plumbing system is immediately protected. However, the local municipality’s sewer lines are also safeguarded. Used cooking oil poured down sewer pipes makes drainage impossible, resulting in irreversible damage to the sewer and overflows to the streets.
Innovation allows used cooking oil to be converted into biodiesel. As a renewable alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuels, biodiesel fuels are used in diesel engines to power vehicles and machines and heat buildings. In the US, most biodiesel fuels are produced from soybean oil and used cooking oil.
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, significantly compromise the integrity of the earth’s ozone layer, which serves to protect the earth from the sun’s UV rays. Rising world temperatures are also an adverse consequence of greenhouse gas emissions.
The US Energy Information Administration data from 2019 indicates that the US imported 9.14 million barrels per day of petroleum from 90 countries, which included Canada, Mexico, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The imported petroleum included biofuels, like biodiesel and ethanol.
Dumping used cooking oil down the sewer drain is illegal in some counties. Noncompliance of cooking oil disposal laws can result in fines or even jail time in some municipalities. Contracting with an oil collection company is necessary to remain compliant with local regulations.
Discarding 30 to 50 gallons of used cooking oil in a sewer drain can affect a restaurant’s reputation. Restaurants have come under fire after videos of employees throwing waste oil in a storm drain went viral. Being compliant with oil waste regulations will prevent the tarnishing of a restaurant’s repute.
When recycling used cooking oil, the restaurant’s plumbing system is immediately protected. However, the local municipality’s sewer lines are also safeguarded. Used cooking oil poured down sewer pipes makes drainage impossible, resulting in irreversible damage to the sewer and overflows to the streets.
Restaurants that partner with a cooking oil recycling and collection company help these companies generate billions of dollars in revenue. In turn, the cooking oil collection companies support the local economy—for every $100 spent with local companies, over half stays in the community.
The extra money that results from large-scale cooking oil recycling not only stays in the local community, but helps create new jobs, such as those in the fields of engineering, technology, accounting, marketing and training. Plus, surplus dollars provide the economic stimulus for emerging area businesses.
As mentioned, recycling used cooking oil will prevent the ruin of the kitchen’s plumbing system. An added benefit is that the proper disposal of cooking oil with an oil collection and recycling company will prevent the expenses associated with repairing a clogged or cracked pipe.
