Firm recycling cooking oil for fuel

400 tons of used cooking oil have already been collected from the catering trade during the first year of Edible Oil's recycling programme.

The company considers this to be a reasonable amount considering that it is such a new concept, and is confident that it can be increased.

Early last year Edible Oil launched a novel eco-friendly product called biodiesel, which it produces from used cooking oil which the company collects from the catering trade through a rebate and collection system it provides to all catering outlets free of charge.

The company also pays the outlets for the collected used cooking oil which would otherwise be disposed of in the waste stream.

Malta consumes about 6,000 tons of refined oil and a further 2,000 tons of fats which are mainly disposed of in the waste system.

Statistically one could easily recover up to 60 per cent of these fats and oils and reuse them in the production of biodiesel.

Through various schemes that the company intends to launch in the coming 18 months, it is hoped to increase the recovery levels to approach those attained in EU countries.

The company plans to do this primarily through tackling household consumption, which accounts for 45 per cent of all oils and fats consumed in Malta and Gozo.

It is looking to change the current PET packaging used for its range of cooking oils, and offer consumers the choice of glass packaging. This would be part of a deposit and return system, the objective being to induce household consumers to return the bottle and the used oil.

The used oil is then processed into biodiesel. This cleaner energy resource can be mixed in various ratios with fossil diesel.

In recent weeks Archer Daniels Midland, one of the largest global agricultural companies, entered into a joint venture with German car manufacturer Volkswagen aimed at further developing and utilising biodiesel fuels in the automotive industry.

During the past year, Edible Oil has introduced biodiesel to many new clients, including Wasteserv (the government body responsible for the waste strategy), trucking companies and stevedores, and industrial concerns for use both in their boilers and also in their vehicle fleets, as well as to many commercial enterprises.

The company has also had discussions with Enemalta for the supply of biodiesel to the corporation, especially in view of the fact that by January 1, 2005, as part of Malta's accession obligations, two per cent of all fossil diesel must be replaced by a cleaner alternative energy resource, such as biodiesel.