Innovative cooking oil recycling facility launches - 05 March 2009

Residents are now able to recycle their used cooking oil at Waltham Forest's recycling facilities at King's Road and South Access Road.

The new cooking oil collection tanks have been installed by Living Fuels - part of the British group Renewable Energy Generation.

Just one litre (that's about 1/3rd of what you'd find in your average chip pan) of used cooking oil can be converted into a new green fuel called LF100 and produce enough clean electricity to make 240 cups of tea!

The collection tanks can hold 1000 litres which will produce sufficient electricity to power one average household for a whole year.

Residents are able to dispose of their cooking oil free of charge. It will then be recycled to produce the green fuel LF100 which is powering electricity generators giving back to the National Grid.

The oil can be hazardous to wildlife if it is allowed to seep into the water table through being poured down the sink.

Councils across the country have also been told to reduce the amount of oil sent to landfill to meet stringent green targets or face fines.

Waltham Forest Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Belam, said: "We know that residents want to recycle more and it is our job to provide the services they need to do so.

"We are constantly looking at new recycling services, so I'm pleased that we can now recycle cooking oil, which really helps to protect wildlife and reduce fossil fuels by generating electricity."

Living Fuels operations director, Rob Murphy, said: "We collect the oil at no cost and as often as required. All of our vehicles have been converted to run on the LF100 fuel.

"Every time another collection service is launched, it's an opportunity to get over the message that used cooking oil causes major environmental damage when poured down the sink. It costs water companies literally millions to clear blockages caused in sewers by this build-up of oils."

The use of used cooking oil in electricity generation reduces carbon emissions meaning that everyone can play a part in building Britain's renewable energy capacity.