How to Dispose of Vegetable Oil

The inappropriate disposal of used vegetable oil is harmful in many ways. Not only does it blocks drains costing thousands of pounds to local councils, but it also leads to a wide range of environmental problems. Many households in the UK don’t know about the regulations or measures to dispose of their used vegetable oil safely.

On the other hand, for businesses in the UK food industry, the law requires them to manage waste vegetable oil properly. If they fail to do so, it can result in huge fines and penalties. According to the Food Safety Act (FSA) 1990, any business in the food industry that fails to dispose of used cooking oil will result in its closure.

Domestic households make a common mistake of pouring down vegetable oil into their sinks, which can cause many problems for councils and cleaning companies to get rid of the mess. Pouring down vegetable oil down your sink can clog waste pipes and you have to call a plumber to unclog the pipes.

How to Dispose of Vegetable Oil Correctly?

There are several ways to dispose of used vegetable oil safely. However, before you deal with the oil, you have to cool it down. When the oil is cool enough for you to handle it safely, transfer it into a sealable container. Vegetable oil can solidify at low temperatures, which means you can put it in the freezer.

When it is hardened, take it out and throw it in the waste bin. The other option is to call the waste disposal centre to take care of the used vegetable oil. We will discuss that later in the article. Let us talk about the UK rules for the disposal of vegetable oil. Continue reading!

UK Rules for Vegetable Oil Disposal

• Vegetable waste oil comes from different sources, such as woks, deep fat fryers, and the frying pan.
• Collect and keep the oil in an air-tight container to avoid contamination and odours.
• Store the container in a clean area. Keep it away from the drain if there is a leakage.
• Store the containers until a contracting company collects them for recycling.
• According to the Environmental Protect Act (1990), failure to comply with the rules can result in prosecution and lofty fines.

Throw Oil in the Bin

You can place small amounts of vegetable oils and fats in your household bin. However, before you put the oil in the bin, make sure you let it cool down. Before you put it in the bin, make sure you transfer the oil to a sealable plastic container.

Some people use tubs for this purpose. The container will contain vegetable oil and prevent it from leaking through the rest of your waste. Use a piece of kitchen towel to wipe the oil from the frying pan. You can dispose of the kitchen towel in your bin.

On the other hand, if you have a larger quantity of vegetable oil, some recycling centres in the UK will collect it for free. However, you have to comply with the centre’s rules and protocols and meet the requirements of minimum quantity.

Remember, such a service mainly aims at the food industry than domestic customers. Anyway, the recycling centre may accept used vegetable oils and permit you to dispose of larger quantities.

Find a Licensed Waste Carrier

Once you have collected and placed your used vegetable oil in your household bin, the next step is to find a reputable and qualified recycling centre as skip hire companies won’t be able to carry this sort of waste traditionally. The centre must provide the transportation facility as per the guidelines of the Environmental Agency. It is a legal requirement and the disposal or recycling centre must adhere to it.

Anyway, you can search the internet or ask someone in the neighbourhood about a registered waste carrier.  Once you have found a registered carrier, the legal requirement is that the company must give you a “waste transfer note” in order to track and trace waste vegetable oil.

The company will contact you to arrange the collection of used vegetable oils. They will come to your house and collect waste oils safely. If you have a large amount of vegetable oils, you can store them in 20 litre cans. Otherwise, small, sealed containers will do the job for small quantities.

Benefits of Vegetable Oil Recycling 

Disposal and recycling of waste material are of great importance to get rid of plastic, paper, and used vegetable oils. Everyone in the UK is responsible for recycling waste whenever necessary. Some of the primary reasons to recycle vegetable oils are:

Eco-friendliness

Research shows that recycling used vegetable oils into fuel can help nations build an eco-friendly energy source. As mentioned above, you can either dispose of wasted vegetable oil by throwing it in the bin in a sealed container or call a waste carrier to take it down to the centre for recycling. We believe this is the most efficient method to get rid of wasted oil.

So, when you recycle your used vegetable oil with a reputable recycling centre, it will process the oil into renewable fuel, which is less destructive than many types of fossil fuels. So, doing so means you are playing a key role in making the world a better place.

Staying Responsible Citizen

Everyone in the UK is required to follow the law and stay legal by acting as a responsible citizen. Households and businesses have a legal requirement to dispose of vegetable oil correctly.

Biofuels

Taking wasted oil to the recycling centre will result in biofuels, such as ethanol, biogas, and biodiesel. Keep in mind that one litre of used vegetable oil can produce one litre of biodiesel. These are good alternatives to conventional fossil fuels. Remember, biodiesel is a renewable source of energy, which has recently become more popular due to its environmentally friendly nature.

Final Words

Vegetable oil leaking in the waste can attract a wide variety of pets and cause issues for waste carriers. It can likewise cause bad odours in your home as well as clog the waste pipes.

On the other hand, if you act responsibly, you can get rid of waste oil easily. Just put in a sealed, non-breakable container and throw it in the bin. Call the recycling centre to collect the bags. The rest is their job.