Cambridgeshire residents do their bit for a greener future - 28 January 2009

Cambridgeshire residents have recycled a massive 15,000 litres of used cooking oil since the County Council installed banks at all its recycling centres just six months ago.

The waste cooking oil is recycled by Living Fuels - part of the British group Renewable Energy Generation - to produce a green fuel to power electricity generators which feed into the National Grid.

Cllr Sir Peter Brown, Cambridgeshire County Councillor for Economy, Environment and Climate Change, who oversaw the installation of the first waste oil recycling bank, said:

"We are delighted that our residents have taken to waste oil recycling with the same enthusiasm that they show for all our other recycling services. I think the added benefit of seeing this waste being converted into green energy is excellent news."

Living Fuels operations director, Rob Murphy, said: "15,000 litres of used cooking oil is enough to power fifteen average households for a year.

"Householders in Cambridgeshire can be proud that they are playing a practical part in building Britain's renewable energy capacity while protecting the local environment."

Pouring cooking oil down the sink is a problem for a number of reasons - it clogs up drains and sewers, is hazardous to wildlife if it is allowed to seep into the water table, and it wastes precious unused energy.

For more information on Cambridgeshire's recycling centres go to www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/waste or contact us on 0345 045 5207.