Managing your frying oil is a part of every successful restaurant operation in Raleigh, North Carolina. Proper cooking oil management can have multiple benefits for your business. Just take a look at some of the upsides of correct restaurant oil removal:

• Fewer safety risks
• More sustainable approach
• Increase in employee engagement
• Higher food quality
• Better kitchen efficiency

As you can see, smart strategies of frying oil disposal come with many benefits. In this article, we will go over the basics of what to do with your used frying oil. You will get a better sense of the opportunities that oil recycling and grease trap waste processing embody.

Step #1: Trap your used frying oil

Before focusing on the practical uses, it is vital to lay the groundwork on oil collection. The worst-case scenario is pouring all the used oil down the drain.

The reason for this is the grease build-up. According to the EPA estimates, the main cause for sewer blockages is the unsanitary accumulation of grease. There are further concerns as well.

When all this grease ends up in wastewater, it is not a harmless by-product of running a restaurant. Used frying oil and other types of grease may damage the environment. The accompanying risks could threaten people and wildlife.

The solution is using a grease trap. These devices block the entrance of fats, oils, and greases (collectively known as FOGs) to the sewer or septic tanks. Since grease and water do not mix, the device's baffles and screens effectively clean the water from FOGs.

What should you know about grease traps?

Here are some suggestions that you could follow to get the best out of your grease trap:

• Proper installation. Make sure that you get a reputable company to install your grease trap. Incorrect procedures result in numerous issues that demand big expenses. Oil leaks, failure to collect grease, and strange noises are all signs of grease trap trouble.
• Grease output. Try to reduce the overall grease output of your kitchen. Optimizing your kitchen's grease use lowers cleaning costs and increases the device's durability.
• Solid food elimination. Always reduce the number of solids reaching your grease trap. You could do this by creating a system in your kitchen that enables workers to easily throw away solid food items. Keeping these solids away increases the lifespan of your grease trap.
• Exhaust filter maintenance. Clean your kitchen's exhaust filters regularly. That's because these filters are responsible for keeping the fat and oil vapors in check. This contributes to overall grease management, supporting a more efficient grease trapping.

How do you clean the grease trap?

Grease trap pumping is a maintenance activity carried out on a regular basis. Pumping the grease trap removes all the FOGs from your device. Usually, it is carried out every 1 to 3 months.

The procedure is pretty straightforward. A truck with a grease tank is driven to your restaurant. The maintenance workers connect a hose from your grease trap to the waste collection tank. After removing the contents of your grease trap, the workers scrape the device's surfaces. This is done to remove hardened substances.

Step #2: Sell your used frying oil for the greater good

Used cooking oil is much more than worthless waste material. Greasecycle® sources used cooking oil from restaurants across North Carolina. After collecting the oil, it is recycled and used as a feedstock into biodiesel production.

This biodiesel is environmently-friendly. It biodegrades up to five times quicker compared to petroleum diesel. Also, a cleaner burn means the production of carbon monoxide is significantly reduced.

The energy balance of biodiesel is remarkable. You could get a return of over five energy units for every unit leveraged in its production. Additionally, biodiesel is non-toxic. Biodiesel is safer to handle. Spilling petroleum diesel carries greater hazards to people and wildlife compared to biofuel.

Biodiesel is not a fuel that has limited and highly specific uses. Actually, biodiesel has the capacity to be used successfully as a commercial fuel. This signifies that the biodiesel receives thorough quality screening.

Before any practical use in commercial diesel engines, numerous compounds require complete removal. These compounds include any glycerin, alcohol, catalyst, and free fatty acids. The reaction must be complete at all times.

Did you know biodiesel is used in some diesel vehicles without modifying the engine?

When producers blend petroleum diesel with biodiesel, the resulting mixture is ready for use in a lot of vehicles.

The following are the typical biodiesel blends:

• The blend called B5: Petroleum diesel containing 5% of biodiesel.
• The blend called B20: Petroleum diesel containing 6% to 20% of biodiesel.

In some cases, used frying oil has further practical value besides biofuel. For example, the processed oil may be utilized for animal feed ingredients. Moreover, recycled oil can have value in the production of many household and commercial products.

Your frying oil waste could be processed and put into further use to manufacture the following products: plastics, solvents, paints, cleaners, lubricants, tires, footwear, containers, and biodegradable eating utensils.

The bottom line: what to do with your used frying oil?

Used frying oil may seem like a meaningless waste. Nevertheless, there are two steps you can take to put your waste cooking oil into good use:

1: Use a grease trap to collect the excess FOGs (fats, greases, and oils).

2: Sell the stored grease for recycling and biodiesel production.

You will preserve the environment and contribute to a cleaner planet. Additionally, there are many benefits to your business, such as:

• Increased safety and a healthier work environment
• Less long-term expenses connected to blockages
• Reduction of unpleasant odors in your kitchen

If you have any questions regarding the aforementioned information, contact us at Greasecycle today!