Oil Waste Collection

Waste oil is produced in many industries, from used cooking oil in a restaurant’s kitchen to contaminated transmission oil in a garage. Every business that creates waste oil must arrange proper storage, removal, and disposal. Some of the main industries that produce waste oil include:

• Food service providers – the food service industry, including cafes, restaurants, and takeaways, produce large volumes of oil waste every day. This is mostly used cooking oil (such as vegetable and olive oil), which is used to cook all sorts of products before sale.
• Manufacturing companies – factories and manufacturing sites typically produce large volumes of oil waste whatever kinds of products they create. Most machinery is powered by oil or requires it for lubrication. Manufacturers also produce large volumes of fuel waste when transporting goods.
• Automotive industry – unsurprisingly, the automotive industry produces high volumes of oil waste, namely diesel, gas, and fuel oils. Automotive oil waste is produced in all areas of the industry, from manufacturing new vehicles to repairs and maintenance in garages.

Oil waste is a significant issue, especially when not managed responsibly. As it’s frequently used in our daily working and domestic lives there’s a lot of it produced. A few interesting facts and statistics about waste oil include:

• We produce around 100,000 tonnes of waste oil in the UK each year through transport alone. As a result, businesses of all sizes must make a real effort to reduce, manage and dispose of their oil waste.
• The global waste oil market is predicted to be worth $70.6 billion (£57 billion) by 2031.
• When oil finds its way into water sources, it creates a thin layer of film across the water. This barrier stops any oxygen from getting to the plants and marine life beneath the surface. It also pollutes drinking water.
• Used cooking oil is one of the leading causes of water pollution – it’s estimated to be responsible for 25% of water pollution.
• The safe disposal of waste oil is dictated by various government regulations. This includes the Hazardous Waste Regulations (2005), Environmental Protection Act (1990), and The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001.

Reducing oil waste cuts disposal costs and the energy required to recycle used oil. There are various steps businesses can take to reduce the amount of waste oil they produce. However, these vary depending on the type of waste oil. A few steps to consider to reduce oil waste include:

• Companies using large volumes of cooking oil, such as restaurants and takeaways, should consider more efficient cooking methods that require less oil. It’s also vital that you ensure all oil is stored safely and securely, preventing products from leaking or getting wasted.
• The automotive industry is taking great strides to reduce oil use by introducing electric and hybrid cars into the market. Their engines require less motor oil to operate. Ensuring motor oil is recycled is another excellent way to reduce oil waste, as this oil does not wear out – it just needs cleaning before reuse.
• Better waste management policies can help reduce the amount of waste oil produced within the UK and beyond across all sectors. Ensure you have the right size and amount of storage containers for waste oil and clear steps for removal and disposal to take care of all your oil waste.