When restauranteurs use responsible waste oil removal practices, they do more than simply abide by the law – they are helping the environment as well.
1. Recycling waste oil responsibly means that your used cooking oil is being used to make fuel out of waste. This is particularly true when considering that waste cooking oil (usually a vegetable oil) and other animal fat derived grease is used to create biodiesel. This type of biodiesel does not compete with food production whatsoever making biodiesel a renewable fuel resource.
2. For each unit of energy used to create biodiesel out of used cooking oil, it yields a life-cycle equivalent of 5.5 to 7 units of energy. WOW!
3. EPA studies published show a 78% reduction in overall life-cycle emissions when comparing Biodiesel and/or Biodiesel blends to petroleum diesel fuel. 1
4. Biodiesel is considered to be rapidly biodegradable and non-toxic. 2
5. The EPA has recognized Biodiesel as alternative fuel meeting the clean diesel standards defined by the California Air Resources Board and having passed both Tier I and Tier II Health Effects Testing under the Clean Air Act.
1: EPA – Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus
2: Biodiesel.org –
http://biodiesel.org/reports/19950601_mar-009.pdf
